


Death Runner

by Nigurath



Category: The Maze Runner Series - All Media Types, The Maze Runner Series - James Dashner
Genre: Action/Adventure, Alternate Ending, Angst, Character Death, Friendship/Love, M/M, Mystery, Slow Build, Violence, boys are a little nicer and discerning, much more Newt
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-11-01
Updated: 2016-03-11
Packaged: 2018-04-29 04:54:30
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 9
Words: 24,472
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5116325
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Nigurath/pseuds/Nigurath
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>When Thomas wakes up in the Glade, he doesn't remember anything, not even his name. Reconnecting the pieces of the puzzle isn't easy, and he finds out that some memories might better stay burried. Fortunately, Thomas also finds someone worth fighting for.</p><p>A Maze Runner rewrite... yeah, the whole book, I know, I know ^^'<br/>Focused on Thomas - Newt relationship. Some things were changed, added, shortened and mixed between books and movies. At some point it takes a different path to an alternate ending.<br/>I'll be updating a new chapter every ten days or so ;)</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. The Glade

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ok, here we go...  
> It's my first fic, and though I'm largely helped by the original book, I'm a little nervous about the result.  
> English is not my language, so I hope there's not too much of bad spelling and grammar disasters.  
> I hope you'll enjoy it. Comments and advises are welcome ;)

When he woke up, there was no light to identify the space around him. He could smell iron and mold in the icy-cold air.  
His head hurt and he couldn't remember how he got there, or even who he was. He felt panic taking him over as the councsiousness slowly came back in his empty mind. He couldn't remember anything !  
With a grinding noise, the space started moving up, making him fall on the dirty metal floor. Blinded by the surrounding darkness, he tried desperately to grab something to hold on to, leaning against rough wooden shapes.  
The room moved faster, making it impossible to move. Like a scared animal, he waited for whatever would come next. The time stretched in what seemed to be forever. He started to feel nauseous and dizzy.  
Just when he began to wonder if this would ever end, the thing slowed down, then completely stopped and something locked on its walls.  
He carefully reached into the darkness, trying to find anything helpfull, or even better : a way out. But he couldn't make any sense of shapes under his fingers.

Suddenly, something knocked hard on the metal above him and the ceiling opened with an explosion of blinding light, heat and loud voices.  
His eyes hurt as he tried to look up, welcomed by the fresh air and laughter.  
"Just look at that greenie !"  
"How old is he ?"  
"He looks like a piece of klunk !"  
"Hey, what's that smell ?"  
Children's voices ?  
Slowly, his vision adjusted and he saw people trying to look inside his metal prison. One of them, a young man with black skin and stern look stepped closer and held a hand to help him out.  
"Hope you enjoyed your ride, greenie, 'cause it's one way only. Welcome to the Glade !"  
Shaking on his legs, the newcomer looked around. It was hot and sunny. He was surrounded by dozens of other boys, some of them were barely fifteen years old, others were only few years older. They were all covered in dust, their faces tanned and clothes worn out.  
Besides the dark boy who welcomed him, his attention got caught by a tough guy with squared chin who stared at him in disdain, a small chubby kid who was bouncing cheerfully on his feet... But most of all, a slender young man with long blonde hair and smart black eyes.  
A slight frown and an amused smile from the blonde boy made the newcomer realise that he was probably staring at him for a little too long.  
Turning away, he looked behind the crowd. They were in the center of some sort of prairie, a perfect square of grass and trees. There was a small village of shaky wooden houses, surrounded by vegetable gardens. And defining that perfect square, there were four huge stone walls. Massive, cold and sinister despite the sunlight. Each of the walls had a narrow opening in the center.

"Where am I ?" He was surprised by the sound of his voice, discovering it for the first time.  
"I the middle of nowhere." Replied the black-skinned boy, it looked like he was the leader here, since the others stayed in retreat. "It's a long story, greenie. Calm down first, and try not to break anything." He held a hand "I'm Alby by the way."  
The newcomer felt the panic raise in him slowly again. He couldn't shake the feeling that something wasn't right.  
Not noticing Alby's hand, he leaned against the nearest tree, head spinning and breath ragged.  
"I'm listening !"  
"Look, it's normal to be scared and confused." Replied Alby with a sigh. "Otherwise, it would mean you're jacked."  
"What's jacked ?"  
The meaning of some words seemed escape him, he wasn't sure if it was a different language or just something he forgot along with the rest of his life.  
"Great, you don't even get what I'm saying..." Alby clasped his hands in frustration. "Just relax, no one's gonna hurt you, okay ?"  
The blonde boy stepped next to Alby. The newcomer noticed that he walked with a limp, but his movements were still smooth despite that.  
"Let me try." His voice was as soft as his smile, tinged with a pleasant accent. "The poor greenie's completely lost and scared to death." He held his graceful hand to the newcomer. "I'm Newt. You should excuse Alby, he's not used to questions."  
The Greenie, as good name as any, shook Newt's hand. Held on would be more accurate. He was still confused and scared, but slowly regaining his composure. And Newt had something soothing and comforting about him, almost familiar.  
"This place is called the Glade. It's where we live, eat and sleep. And we're the Gladers. You're one of us now."  
"Why are we here, who sent us here ?"  
"No idea. But your previous life is over, a new one starts from now on." Newt was locking his dark eyes with him like a snake charmer. "I know you don't remember anything. It's okay. You'll remember your name later, it's all we're allowed to keep. Meanwhile, learn the rules, do your job, and everything would be fine, alright ?"  
The Greenie nodded in silence. As the first shock slowly faded, he felt tired and depressed. He held back the tears that suddenly treatened to run down his face.  
"It's your first day, Greenie." said Alby resolutely "It's almost the sunset, Runners will be back soon. We don't have time to show you around today. Newt, find him some place to sleep."  
"Come on." Newt softly touched his shoulder, inviting him to follow. "We were all lost the first days. In few weeks from here, you'll be like home."

He followed his graceful guide, looking back one last time to the black square hole where he came from. The other boys were already taking out crates that came up with him.  
Was it some kind of prison ? Was he a criminal then ? And what about the others ? If so, what was the sentence and how long would they stay here ? Is it even possible to get out ?  
"We were all just like you." Newt continued to explain as they walked to the small village. "The bloody Box takes us here, one after another, with no memories except our name. And I won't lie to you, it's not going to get any better. But you look strong, I'm sure you'll be fine."  
As he walked few steps behind, the newcomer found himself watching the sunset rays paint Newt in golden. In his numbness, the sight caught his attention and distracted him for a while from fear and headache.  
That's when a horrible, barely human scream reverberated through the Glade.  
When he realised that the scream came from one of the village houses, his blood turned to ice.  
Newt stopped with a start, staring in that direction with a worry look.  
"Shucking medics, can't take care of him for ten bloody minutes ?" He pushed the newcomer in the opposite direction "Go seek Chuck, he'll find you a place to rest."  
Left alone, the Greenie watched Newt join few other boys outside the building where the screams were coming from. They all looked anxious, looking inside with caution, as if they expected to see a monster come out at any moment.

 

Chuck turned out to be the young chubby boy who bounced cheerfully when he came out of the box. He was the youngest of them all, no more than twelve years old. He had long, curly brown hair and his big blue eyes were the only noteworthy thing on his hearty face.  
He eagerly guided the Greenie back to the village, in what seemed to be a four-story dormitory. The space was a chaos of wooden beams, windows, ivy, hammocks and ropes, the whole mess miraculously holding together.  
"What's going on in there ?" asked the Greenie pointing to screams as they settled down.  
"Ben's sick. They got him." Responded Chuck with a nervous smile. He obviously tryed to look braver than he was feeling.  
"They who ? It sounds like someone's dying in there !" Another near-animal scream startled him.  
"He'll make it. No one dies if the injection is made in time, but it hurts like hell."  
"What got him ?"  
The boy looked sheepishly on his feet. "A Griever stung him."  
"What's a Griever ?"  
Chuck shrugged. "I don't know, those who survived won't talk."  
They stood there, looking on the ground and listening to the distant screams. The newcomer was considering everything he learned about the place. It wasn't just a prison then, there was a real deadly danger out there.  
He tried to remember anything about himself, failing again.  
"Hmmm... Chuck ? What do I look like ?"  
Surprised, the young boy studied him for few seconds before answering "I'd tell you're sixteen. Brown hair, brown eyes, nothing special."  
Sixteen ? Strange, he felt older.  
"Don't worry, you'll be confused for a couple of days, but you'll got used." Chuck stood up, preparing to leave. "It's our home now, could be worse, I guess. I'll be there if you need me. You know, before you came I was the greenie. I'm here for one month already, I know the Glade like the back of my hand. You can count on me, okay ?"  
"Uh... alright. Thanks, Chuck."

Left alone again, the Greenie lay down for a while before deciding to explore the place on his own.  
He was too anxious to rest anyway, and despite the fear, he neded to learn more about the danger he could be facing in the future. Trying to look casual, he walked to the building where the screams were coming from. Few boys were hanging near the door, they looked much more relaxed then earlier. There was no trace of Newt, but he recognised the tough guy, who immediately looked in his direction with the same disdainful expression as before.  
"What do you want, shuckface ?" The question was followed by the unpleasant laugh of his friends.  
That smelled like trouble. Maybe coming here wasn't such a good idea.  
He decided to give it a try anyway and stepped to the door, ignoring the band. But the tough guy blocked his way and shoved him bluntly.  
"Where do you think you're going, klunk ? Greenies are forbidden from seeing those who got stung ! Newt's and Alby's orders !"  
"What's your problem ?" the Greenie stepped back, trying not to think about what 'got stung' might mean. "I don't even know where I am, I'm just lost."  
"Well shuckface, get lost elsewhere. I'm sure I already saw you before. There's something shifty about you, and I'll find what it is, trust me."  
"We've already met ? Where ? If you remember anything..."  
The brute knew something, but whatever it was, his smirk made it clear it wasn't the right time to ask questions.  
"Well I remember you, shuckface." The boy took a proud posture. "We're not so many to survive the sting, but I did. I know what Ben's going through. And I saw you during the Changing. I bet Ben would see you too."  
The Greenie was eager to find out what they could possibly have seen. Maybe he could get better luck with Ben ?  
He tried another approach. "If Newt is inside, I want to speak to him."  
"You know what ? You're right, I shouldn't be so mean to greenies" Replied the big guy with fake smile, stepping aside. "I'm so sorry, come in. I'm sure Newt and Alby would be happy to show you around."  
That was an obvious trap, but all that matered for now was information, and it was inside that building. Newt was there too, hopefully as welcoming as before. He stepped closer to the door before turning one last time to the tough guy.  
"What's your name ?"  
"Gally," responded proudly the bully "And I'm the one in charge in here."  
"Alright, Gally," The newcomer pushed the door. "It's nice to meet such an obliging person."  
The comment sparked mocking laughs through the band. It could be wise to avoid Gally from now on...

Iside the house, Newt and Alby were standing by a camp bed, and what he saw tied on it sent shivers down his spine.  
The boy was shirtless, his pale skin covered in black veins that swelled underneath like crooked roots. He was twisting in pain, screaming with inhuman voice. A deep, raw wound was crossing his chest. His blood-filled eyes were rolling in agony.  
The image was already burned in newcomer's mind when Newt pushed him out.  
"What the shuck are you doing here ?!" Roared Alby from the doorstep. "Get your ass back to the dormitory ! If I see you here again, I'll tear your head off myself !"  
"It's alright !" Replied Newt, his hands on Greenie's shoulders, pushing him away from the infirmary. "Go back Alby, I got him !"  
"I..." The newcomer tried to find an excuse, but there was none. "I'm sorry. I was just looking for answers."  
He was scared by what he saw. He might have lost all of his memory, but he was pretty sure that whatever that thing was, it wasn't normal. He searched for Newt's dark eyes, hoping for support. But all he saw was dissaproval and pain.  
Gally and his band were ecstatic, shouting and laughing.  
"Shut up !" Newt's voice, cold and sharp, made them stop in an instant. He gripped tight newcomer's arm and dragged him away.  
Chuck, who saw the whole thing came running to join them.  
"Go fetch him some food, would you ?" Newt asked the boy while taking the newcomer under the trees, away from village and people.  
"I'm not sure I could eat anything..." The horrifying vision was stuck before his eyes. He was shaking in shock when it suddenly hit him... "Thomas... My name is Thomas !"  
Chuck pushed an entusiastic cheer and Newt's features softened, that gentle smile on his lips again.  
"Welcome to the Glade, Thomas."  
But Newt's eyes stayed dark and pained.  
Something was terribly wrong with this place...


	2. The Maze

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> More Newt and some bonding interaction !  
> I'm actually a little frustrated to see so little of Newt in books and movies.  
> I also found that they're kinda mean and impolite to each other in the book (specially to poor Chuck for no reason), so I made my Newt and Thomas a little nicer. After all, they're in this together now ;)

Thomas was sitting next to Newt at the edge of the small wood, recovering from the waking nightmare he saw in the infirmary.   
Chuck left to fetch some food, happy to get useful, and they just watched the Glade in silence. The sun was almost down, sending red flares on the massive stone walls. Its surface was covered in thick ivy. Thomas wondered what was outside. The openings on each side didn't seem to cast any light, indicating the presence of something else behind.  
Newt was lost in his toughts, his haunted look set somewhere on the top of those walls, or maybe the reddened sky above them. Thomas left the surroundings alone for a while and took the chance to study the boy better.  
Newt was approximately seventeen years old. He was lean and graceful, all slender limbs and thin fingers, long blonde hair flowing down his shoulders in wavy strands. His features were pleasant, handsome even, with a little touch of childish mischief. Now that he thought about it, Thomas noticed that Newt's black eyes always looked that sad, older then they should. He wondered if it was because of this place, or if there was a personal, more specific reason.  
And for how long he has been here ? Months ? Years ?  
Newt's clothes were weathered and dusty, a long leather case hanging on his back, with an old blade in it. Judging by his outfit and thin scars all over his arms, he must have seen a lot.  
As if he was suddenly aware of being stared at, Newt turned to look directly at Thomas who startled and hastily returned to the study of the nearest stone wall.   
The opening wasn't very far. From where he was, Thomas could feel the cold air coming from the darkness behind.  
He finally broke the silence. "What's on the other side ?"  
"I don't know. I never left the Glade." Newt's reply was even and not very convincing.  
"I don't believe you. Maybe some others never stepped out there, but I'm sure you did. Why does everyone keeps everything such a mystery ?"  
Newt examined him with a sharp glance before replying carefully. "Because things aren't natural here. We learned how to survive with what we got in the Glade. We stick to it. Maybe we don't know much about this bloody place, but we know that people die when they get too curious."  
Thomas stood up, earning a worried frown from his new friend.  
"Well, I guess I'll just go visit alone then."  
Newt jumped up, catching his wrist firmly. "Don't you dare ! The Doors will be closing soon..."  
"Doors ? What doors ?"   
Thomas looked in confusion on the smooth walls diving into the darkness of the passageway.  
"Those aren't walls. Trust me, they're closing every evening." Newt told grimly.  
Thomas studied the massive stone and felt dizzy realising that those giant blocks could actually move. Looking closer, he noticed that there was no ivy on those inner walls, and one of them was pierced with holes, while the other had spikes. Their destination left no doubt.  
Newt pulled nervously on his arm. "The Runners will be back soon, believe me, you don't want to be on the other side when it closes."  
"You mean, there are actually people who are allowed inside ?"  
Newt's eyes got darker "It's not that simple. The Maze is dangerous, you... "  
"Wait, the Maze ?! This thing is a maze ?!"  
Newt sighed in frustration. "Don't you get it ? I'm trying to protect you here !"   
There was that pain in his eyes again, causing Thomas' enthousiasm to fade a little. He stepped away from the opening and saw Newt's posture relax.  
Was Newt really that scared that Thomas could go in there ? Why should he care for what might happen to a stranger he barely met few hours ago ? But the Glade was a small universe, Thomas realized, and every loss must have been heavy to them. He wasn't just a stranger, he was a new addition to a very limited community in a deadly environment.

Chuck showed up after a while, bringing a bowl of stew and a flask of water.  
"Frypan wasn't very happy to see me rummaging about in his kitchen." Explained the boy with a happy smile.  
"Thanks, Chuck." Thomas was starving, and grateful for some help.  
As he was finishing his meal, he saw a tall Asian rush out of the Maze door, shortly followed by four others boys. They ran past them without slowing, heading directly to a large round house. They looked exhausted, covered in sweat and dirt, their skin reddened by physical effort.  
Intrigued, Thomas watched them dissapear inside the building.  
"So, what's in there ?" he asked pointing in their direction.  
"Oh no," Newt looked nervous again. "I know where you're going with that. No way !"   
"What ?" Thomas blinked in confusion. "What did I say ?"  
"Listen, there's no way you're going to be a Runner. It's natural to be curious, but I saw that look before, it's not just simple curiosity. So before you go bumping into things to see what they do, you should consider what you saw earlier on that camp bed."  
The memory sent cold shivers down Thomas' spine.  
Suddenly, Chuck sat up straight, looking at the opening with respectful fear "It's time. They're closing !"

First, there were clicking and knocking sounds, soon followed by the deafening rumble. Thomas looked around in panic to see the grass shake frantically like a living swarm.   
The huge stone walls were closing.   
His head was spinning, he felt so tiny in front of that crushing mass. The rush of adrenaline sharpened his senses, and suddenly Thomas felt the urge to get out of this place. The Glade felt just as tiny as himself. Despite the open sky above, he struggled for air, his instincts telling him to run out there, seek the exit, claw his way out if needed, but Newt's hands were on his shoulders in an instant, holding him tight.  
Chuck was hynotised by the sight, amazed smile on his lips. On each side of the Glade, the huge blocs were moving in unison, throwing sparks and raising clouds of dust. No, not all walls, only the right ones, the left walls stayed still. Without realizing, Thomas examined the motion, trying to understand the mechanism involved. A glimpse of memory flashed in his mind. He tried to hold on, remember what it was, but it faded as briefly, leaving only an unexplainable sadness.  
The collision sent a deep, barely audible sound wave, that made his bones vibrate. The Glade was sealed for the night.  
"Relax greenie, it's only a door." Newt smiled grimly. "You'll get used to it after a while."  
Thomas looked at the barely visible seam on the wall in disbelief, the information slowly going through his mind.   
"Newt... How long have you been here ?"  
"Too long." Newt stood up, looking away "You should go to sleep early, it's a busy day tomorrow."  
Thomas watched him walk away, moving like a wounded feline with his right leg failing slightly at every step. 

 

That night, Thomas was thinking about the walls and what they were hiding, wondering if they closed to keep the boys in, or protect them from whatever was outside.  
He got an old sleeping bag on the floor, like many others around him. It was hard and smelly, but he accepted it with the rest of his new home. Not for long, he sweared to himself. He'll find the way out, behind those walls, it's only a matter of time.  
Next to him, Chuck was fidgeting in helpless attempt to get comfortable.  
"Chuck ?" Thomas whispered "I want to be a Runner."  
The boy went still "What ? You don't even know what you're talking about !"  
"I want to go in the Maze, I need to become a Runner."  
"Forget it, and go to sleep already !" Chuck sounded nervous.  
Thomas was too lost in his toughts to notice. "How do I become a Runner ? Are there some qualifications to meet ?"  
"Alby won't let you anyway." Replied Chuck with a weary sigh. "You're too new to this place. Now sleep !"  
As he slowly drifted into the slumber, Thomas saw the Glade again, the huge stone walls, the Maze behind them... and then, it all suddenly seemed so familiar.   
"I think I know this place..." he whispered half asleep, "I've already been here before..."  
Chuck let out a cry of surprise and raised up in his bed, but Thomas was already dreaming. 

 

Thomas woke up in the middle of the night with someone's hand pressed tight against his mouth. In the darkness, he saw the boy leaning close to whisper.  
"Hush, don't wake anyone." Thomas immediately recognized Newt's lovely accent.  
Surprised at first, Thomas nodded and the slender fingers left his lips. He felt butterflies in his stomach when Newt's hot breath caressed his ear again. "Walk with me, I want to show you something."  
Newt reached for his hand to lead him carefully among the sleeping Gladers. Thomas wished he was as nimble as his guide, few times he almost stumbled over someone. When they finally got out, Newt let go of his hand, and Thomas noticed that he missed the touch, warm sensation still lingering on his skin. He smiled at his own silliness, just what was he thinking ?   
He followed Newt through the Glade, straight to the nearest wall. In the moonlight, the place seemed unreal, all dim silver and mist.  
Thomas had mixed feelings about the trip, he wasn't sure if he could trust Newt, but he was too thrilled to care.  
Newt stopped at the wall, touching the cold stone "Can you see them ?"  
Thomas looked closer and saw tiny red lights through the ivy. They were concealed inside some of the cracks, which made them invisible by day. "What are they ?"  
"I have no idea." Newt pulled away strands of ivy to reveal a dusty square of black glass in the wall. "Look inside."  
Thomas stepped closer, leaning to the smooth surface next to his mysterious friend. He couldn't see anything. He waited for something to happen, his attention gradually shifting to the heat irradiating from Newt's body. They were almost touching as they looked into the window's darkness side by side.  
Suddenly, his eyes caught a blinking light flashing at them through the glass, casting colorful sparkles on Newt's face.  
"What is this thing ?" Asked Thomas in surprise.  
"It's the Maze" Replied softly Newt, hypnotised by the light. « Our entire life turn around the bloody Maze. Every second of every day is dedicated to solve the riddle that might not even have a solution. I want you to see why I don't want you to go inside. Why those shucking walls are closing every night. And why it's so important that you don't get trapped in there." He knocked carefully on the glass.  
Something moved on the other side, and Thomas felt his heart stop in terror as a massive creature of difformed flesh and solid metal slided on the floor to jump at them. Thomas let out a cry and fell back on the grass. He could hear the monstrer slaming against the wall on the other side.  
"Meet the Griever." Newt didn't move a bit, looking at the thing with hatred. "A nasty piece of work. Lucky for us, they come out only at night."  
Thomas stepped to the glass again. The horrifying creature was relentlessly attacking the window, it's rasor sharp teeth slipping on the smooth surface without damage. It had sharp spikes and deadly blades emerging from its clammy skin. Powerful metal legs reminded him of a huge spider. That thing was probably faster then any human.  
"Now you know." Newt turned to look at Thomas, his haunted eyes shimmering like black mirrors. "Runners try to find the way out of the Maze, so we can go home. If you want to be a Runner so badly, I can't force you to give up. But don't expect my blessing."


	3. The order of things

Thomas couldn't close his eyes for the rest of the night.   
He was analysing everything he learned, trying to remember any details, but he still had a feeling that something was escaping his attention. There was some twisted purpose behind this place. Why make doors that open automatically, if it was to keep something in or out ? From what he saw, the Grievers were artificial creatures. Who made them then ? The same people who made this place ? And who sent the boys in, and why ? They were all same gender and roughly the same age, so they were clearly selected. Thomas felt sick, because the whole thing looked like some dreadful game.  
Fortunately, he wasn't alone.   
There was the kid Chuck, who's cheerful attitude made things look a little brighter. Thomas was aware that the boy was just as scared and desperate as any of them, but his kindness and childish joy brought a welcome relief anyway.   
And then there was Newt, all mystery and bittersweet charm. Thomas couldn't tell if he was simply showing him around like he did to any newcomer before, or if there was something special between them, but he certainly wanted to catch Newt's attention. At first, Thomas though he was just curious about Newt because he looked like an important person among the Gladers, but lying there after the night walk in his company, he realised that he wanted more. Thomas wanted to learn all his secrets. He wanted to be near and feel that heat on his skin again. He wanted Newt to care.   
If only he could be more charismatic. Chuck's description of him suddenly sounded dissapointing and Thomas wished for a mirror to see if he was really that ordinary.

 

In the morning, Thomas was sitting at the table over his suspicious breakfast, watching other boys wake up and rush around. Runners were the first ones to get ready. Thomas saw them disappear inside the Maze as soon as the doors opened.   
Newt wasn't anywhere to be seen, while Chuck was cleaning the dishes after dozens of gladers. When Thomas offered help, the boy declined cheerfully, saying it was his job.  
After a while, the dim light of dawn brightened up and a searing orange sun raised above the Glade. Its color seemed strange to Thomas. Despite his blank memory, he knew what the sun was, but this one was a little too bright and reddish.   
Thomas looked at the stone door nearby. The terrifying vision of the Griever was hounting him every time he closed his eyes. He still felt the need to go inside the Maze, but now he was scared of what was there, and he felt useless. How could he find a way out, if dozens of others already tried their best and couldn't ? Still, trying again seemed like the only reasonable thing to do, because he needed answers and couldn't resign himself to live in a stone cage for the rest of his life. He was going to solve the puzzle or die trying.  
A hand landing firmly on his shoulder interrupted his thoughts. Alby was standing behind him, thorwing his usual stern look.   
"Get up, Greenie ! Time to show you around. And no talking until asked !"  
Thomas stood up with a sigh. "Alright, but tell me everything then. No more secrets."   
"I have no time for long speeches." Alby turned around to lead the way. "You'll learn what's important."

Thomas followed the leader of the Gladers with caution. Alby looked really furious last night, so he hoped for some kind reconciliation, but feared a punishment. However, despite his severe attitude, Alby didn't seem hostile, only cold and practical.  
First, they went to the hole in the ground, which rusty doors were now closed.   
"This is the Box. Once in a month, it comes up with a greenie like you. And once in a week it comes up with stuff like food and clothes. Always the same day, always the same time. Like for everything else in the Glade, the order never changes." He sighed grimly. "We have no idea who puts new guys or items in it though. We tried to send back a greenie once, the damn thing didn't move until we took him out."  
Thomas wanted to ask so much, but his first day wasn't the brightest start, no need to make it worse. So he kept it to himself, for now.

Next, Alby took him to the vegetable garden. The patches of soil and climbing plants were a maze on its own. Boys were working like bees in a hive, paying no attention to them.  
Old pipelines emerged from the ground between the small fields to cover the whole area in a grid ceiling. Alby ran his fingers on the closest one.   
"Water comes from the pipes, it's our only source of life. It never rains here, and there's no river or well. It also allows us to grow our own food and animals. Though we get some supplies from the Box, we make almost everything we need ourselves."

Their next stop was an animal pen with few cows, some pigs wallowing in the mud and chickens. A dreary building painted in dark red and decorated with bones raised behind.   
"The Slaughterhouse," explained Alby, "that's the place where Slicers slaughter animals for food. A nasty job really, but if you're not afraid of killing, maybe it will suit you."  
Thomas shook his head, he was eager to leave the place and its smell of guts and sour blood.

The last place Alby took him to was behind the woods. It was a large patch of dying grass in the corner of stone walls, with nothing but boards and posts sticking out of the ground. The graveyard.   
Thomas felt a cold shiver down his spine, there was a lot of those gravestones.  
"Our final destination, the Deadheads. The only way to stay in the Glade without a job, is to end here. You'll start by working one week for every Keeper, until we find out what you are made for."  
"What about a Runner ?" Words left Thomas' lips before he could react.  
Alby's face got colder and Thomas could see the repressed anger.   
His voice was as sharp as the rasor "Do you think I sent Newt just for fun last night ?"   
Thomas felt hurt and stupid, Newt didn't come for him, he only followed orders.   
"I've been living here for five years." continued Alby, pointing at the graves. "And I'm the oldest one because every one before me died. We tried to find a way out for years, but the Maze changes every night. New walls, new map. And every time someone had a new idea, people died. We have three simple rules here : everybody work, no one hurts another glader, no one leaves the Glade except the Runners. If you put anyone in danger, I'll arrange a meeting with a Griever for you. Understood ?"  
Thomas nodded, he knew Alby wasn't bluffing.

Suddenly, a swift motion caught Thomas' eye on the wall behind Alby. There was a big insect, with dozen of jointed legs clipped on the stone, its articulated long body covered in shiny silver scales. Thomas stared at the tiny red light on creature's head, and he knew it stared back at him.   
Alerted by his scared look, the leader turned to see. The thing stayed there few more seconds, then trere was a faint rustle and it was gone in a blink of an eye.   
"What was that ?!"  
"That's a Beetle Blade." Alby responded calmly. "Don't touch it if you want to keep your hands in one piece, but otherwise it's harmless. Creators send those to watch us."  
"What do you..." Thomas was interrupted by a deafening howl of siren that reverberated through the air.   
Alby didn't seemed afraid though, only confused. He walked back to the Glade with concerned expression.   
"What's going on ?" Thomas catched up with him, trying to cover the sound with his voice.   
"That's weird..." Shouted Alby through the noise. "It's the Box !"  
Everywhere, boys were abandonning their work to gather in groups, throwing puzzled looks to each other. Some of them came running to their leader, searching for answers.  
Left alone, Thomas watched them form a crowd around the Box doors. 

Thomas startled when a slender hand slipped on his shoulder. Newt emerged from behind, leaning over to his ear. Thomas froze in place, suddenly aware of the touch on his skin, sending shivers and burns with every brush of fingers and blonde hair.   
"A new one is coming up !" Newt shouted over the siren. He stared at Thomas, clearly expecting him to be impressed.   
"Huh... What ?" Thomas couldn't focus.   
Not getting the awaited response, Newt leaned closer again "There's a new greenie in there ! We never saw two come up the same month, now we have two in few hours !"  
Newt's hand slid down Thomas' arm to pull on his wrist, dragging him to the Box.  
Once standing in the crowd, pressed to Newt's side, Thomas realised that those graceful fingers didn't left their hold. Even if all of Newt's attention was now directed to the rusty doors of the Box, Thomas felt hope twist in his stomach. Maybe Newt did noticed him after all, maybe just a little ?   
Whatever the reason for the sudden change to the order of things Alby was talking about earlier, Thomas was enthousiastic to see Newt's attitude towards the newbie as a sample to compare to. 

Holding his breath, he waited for the metal doors to open.


	4. The last one ever

The siren finally stopped.   
This time, everyone was tense and watched rusty doors of the Box in silence. No jokes, no mocking laughs that welcomed Thomas only a day earlier. Boys waited for it to open like hypnotized.  
Except Newt.  
He was watching Thomas, with a slightly concerned look.  
The crowd was pushing them together, and Thomas was too much aware of their faces being so close, the burning touch of Newt's shoulder, and arms entwined down to Newt's hand holding his wrist. His mind was desperately trying to focus on the Box instead of the troubling sensation.  
Thomas told himself that Newt wasn't aware of the feeling he was sparkling. This closeness was something innocent, no big deal really, just being friendly... but Thomas just couldn't feel it that way, and his heart was jumping out of his ribcage.  
Maybe Newt had mistaken his tension for fear, because he tightened his hand around Thomas' wrist with reassuring smile. "You alright ?"  
Thomas felt sick for taking advantage of this misunderstanding.  
"Uh... yeah. Yeah, I'm fine." He pulled his arm out of Newt's reach, ignoring boy's confused frown at the gesture. "How long do we have to wait ?"  
"Not long, maybe fifteen minutes ?"  
"Feels like forever." Thomas scanned the crowd. "Look, I get that it wasn't supposed to be today, but is it really such a big deal ? Everyone's acting like it's the end of the world !"  
"Who knows, maybe it is ? It's the first change to their bloody rules, and it scares the hell out of me."  
"Well, maybe we should throw whatever is coming up back into the pit ? Wait, have you already tried..."  
"Yeah, we tried to throw things in." Interrupted Newt with a strange look.  
"And ?"  
"We never heard them land."  
"But have you tried..."  
"Yeah, that too." Newt interrupted him again.  
Thomas frowned in frustration "Alright, what was I about to ask ?"  
"If we tried to go down with a rope ?"  
Thomas stared at him in disbelief "Wait, you can read my mind ?"  
Newt smiled sadly. "No, you're just having all the logical ideas everyone else had before you. We've been here for years, believe me, we tried everything !"  
"Then what did you find down there ?"  
Newt's smile faded, and his eyes got darker. "The poor guy didn't got far before the bloody thing cut him in two. We kept his bones to teach smart greenies about that one."  
"Oh..." horrified, Thomas searched for another change of subject. Why did any question about this place lead to a tragic answer ? "How do you know it's not just food and tools coming up this time ?"  
"The siren calls only for people." The hounted look was back on Newt's face. "There's something strange about you, Thomas, but I can't get what it is. Maybe you're not meant to be here, and now Creators are sending a replacement to get you back ?"  
Despite the joke, Thomas could see Newt was serious.  
"That would certainly please Gally..." Thomas saw the brute throwing nasty looks at him from the other side of the crowd.  
"He really hates you." Newt noticed the glance. "I have a feeling it's something personal. What have you done ?"  
"Nothing ! But yesterday he told me that he already saw me before, in something called the Changing."  
Newt's eyes widened in surprise.  
"Hey, he doesn't remember who I am, just that he doesn't like me." Thomas shivered, starting to feel scared. "But he's not really a likable guy either, right ?"  
"Guess not. Do you remember anything other then your name ?" Insisted Newt sharply.  
Thomas thought about the impression he had, just before falling asleep last night, but decided to be cautious and keep it to himself for now.  
"No, nothing." He hesitated. "What about you ? Do you want me gone too ?"  
"What ? No, of course not !" Newt looked puzzled. "Oh, is it because of our trip last night ? It was meant to protect you, not make you feel unwelcome. You seem to be a nice guy, I'm not like Gally, I'm just curious. And it's my job to keep you alive."  
Thomas snorted bitterly. "Yeah, I know it was Alby's idea to talk to me. He was the one who sent you last night."  
Newt frowned. "Yes, and I accepted because I wanted to. I respect Alby's authority, but he doesn't control me. So, are we good now ?"  
Thomas nodded, smiling. "Yeah, sure."  
Newt smiled back at him gently. "Alright then. Wait here."  
The blonde boy turned around and pushed his way to the Box doors, stepping next to Alby.  
Few moments later, the knocking sounds of the Box went silent. Alby and Newt reached for the rusty doors at the same time and pulled them open.  
Thomas couldn't see what was inside, but the boys who could suddenly bursted into motion, pushing forward to get a closer look and shouting questions all at once. They quickly jumped back though, when Alby turned to face them with a scowl.  
"Enough !" Roared the leader, and all of them froze in silence.  
Newt placed a soothing hand on Alby's shoulder.  
"It's a girl." He explained softly to the gladers who couldn't see "I think she's dead."  
The boys let out a surprised cry and shouted more questions.  
Thomas was confused and frustrated. Just as he started to gather information about this place, an established fact has changed. That wasn't fair.

Alby, Newt and few other gladers got down in the Box to retrieve the girl. Gally was among them, and Thomas saw a deviant fascination on the brute's face, making him really worry about Gally's intentions.  
They took the body out and lay it down on the ground.  
The girl was skinny and really white as a sheet, with her black hair bringing out the contrast even more. She was pretty, all delicate and smooth. Her perfect skin, clean clothes and shiny hair showed a very comfy lifestyle, unlike anything even close to the Glade.  
She wouldn't stay like this very long, soon she'll begin to decay... Thomas was surprised by his own morbid thoughts.  
Her face looked slightly familiar.  
Sometimes Thomas had those glimpses of memory or feelings of dejà vu in his mind, like the one he had just before falling asleep last night. Chuck tried to question him about it in the morning, but Thomas avoided answering. Maybe it was just a dream, and it felt so real only because he was desperate to remember something, anything ?  
Thomas had no idea who the girl was, there was just definitely something familiar about her. He probably met her somewhere where they all came from. But then again, how to be sure with that damaged mind of his ?  
Suddenly, the girl inhaled the air loudly and her body started to shudder. Alby jumped back, his muscles tense and ready to fight. Newt only startled and watched her wide-eyed.  
The girl was shaking and looking at the crowd like a scared animal, muttering something unintelligible. Her eyes locked on Thomas, glassy and mad.  
"Tom ? Everything will change !"  
She held her hand in his direction, motion twitchy and weird, a piece of paper crumpled between her fingers.  
Thomas watched her in shock, refusing to move. His senses were on alert, adrenaline rushing through his veins. Some kind of instinct was screaming in his mind to run away from that note as far as possible.  
Then just as quickly as she woke up, the girl's eyes rolled and closed, and she crashed unconscious on the ground.  
Surrounding silence was maddening. The boys waited in vain for her to move again, then slowly, all those eyes turned to look at Thomas who felt the raising panic cut the air from his lungs.  
Newt was the only one not looking. Instead, he reached carefuly for the paper in girl's hand and read it loudly for everyone to hear. It contained five words :

SHE'S THE LAST ONE EVER.

The gladers looked at the girl in shock, frightened whispers filling the air. She was breathing now, obviously alive.  
Thomas was waiting for Newt to turn to him, say something. Why wasn't he looking ?  
But the slender boy only shredded the note in pieces, looking fiercely at the Box. Thomas felt his panic slowly calm down just to be replaced by a cold despair.  
Alby turned to the crowd and shouted "Med-jacks !"  
Two boys stepped out, one of them with gray hair on his temples despite his young age. They kneeled around her to listen to her heartbeat and check her pupils.  
Someone made few crude jokes, and Thomas felt sick that someone could be saying something like this about a half dead girl.  
"Silence !" Snapped Alby in their direction. "No one touches her ! If I catch anyone laying his hands on her, you'll spend your next night sleeping with Grievers ! You hear me !? No one !"  
The Gladers nodded in silence. The fierce leader could be really scary when he wanted to.  
For once, Thomas felt grateful for Alby's anger.  
One of the mad-jacks raised his head. "Her heartbeat is normal, but her breathing is a little too slow. It looks like she's in the coma. I can't do anything though, there are no wounds to treat, and if there's any thing else, I can't see what it is."  
Alby nodded. "Take her to the infirmary. If there are any changes, I want to be notified immediately."  
Both boys leaned to grab her ankles and shoulders and lifted her quite easily. Skinny and small as she was, she couldn't weight much. As Thomas watched them take her to the village, the increasing feeling of familiarity settled in his mind. He was pretty sure now that he already met her before, he just couldn't remember the details.  
Alby threw him a severe look "You know her ?"  
Thomas shook his head "No. I don't remember anything."  
"That's not what I meant. Does she look familiar to you ? Do you have a feeling you already saw her somewhere ?"  
"I don't remember her !" The panic was slowly taking over Thomas again.  
Newt stepped closer, his black eyes cold and sharp. "I don't believe you."  
"Please ! I swear..." Those words stung Thomas like a dagger, tears burning on the back of his eyelids. "I came here just like anyone else ! That girl is the variable, not me !"  
Newt only shook his head sternly. "The message was meant for you."  
"Who are you !?" Alby was losing his temper. "Nothing had ever changed in years, and now this ! What the hell is going on ?!"  
Thomas was stunned. He just wanted this nightmare to end one way or another.  
"How should I know ?" He replied desperately, searching for Newt's compassion. Thomas' voice broke in almost a whisper. "I don't even know who I am, how can you expect me to be sure of anything ?"  
Newt looked away, his features softening a little.  
Alby shook his head, giving a tap on his second in command's shoulder. "We must gather the Council tonight."  
With a sigh, Newt nodded, and Thomas watched them both leave back to the village.   
Feeling exposed under suspicious glances of other Gladers, Thomas walked away as soon as he could.

A little further from the crowd, Thomas was joined by Chuck who looked unusually serious and walked by his side in silence.  
Once they were in a safe distance, Thomas took a deep breath.  
"Chuck, what's the Council ?"  
"The Council of Keepers." The young boy answered sheepishly. "All the heads of every job. They gather every time something terrible or weird happens. You know, to decide what to do. They're surely waiting for Minho, the Keeper of the Runners, so they won't talk before the sunset. You're safe until then."  
Thomas felt his stomach knot. He was sure he'll be the subject, along with the girl. And now he was alone. Even if Newt wasn't against him after all, he'll probably never trust him again.  
"Do you think we're criminals ?"  
Chuck looked puzzled. "What ? What do you mean ?"  
"Big walls, Grievers guarding outside. We don't remember anything from before the Glade. And someone's clearly watching us. It all makes me think of a prison. A very twisted prison for very dangerous criminals."  
"Uh... I'm something like twelve years old. You really think I had a chance to do something that bad ? Why would you even ask something like that ?"  
Thomas shrugged. "No reason. Maybe I'm just afraid of what I could find about who I really am."  
Chuck tried a shy smile "Hey, cheer up ! Newt always tells that we're not getting our past lives back, so what really matters, is who we are now. Besides, Alby looks scary, but he's a good guy. You haven't done anything wrong. Everything will be fine, you'll see."


	5. Deadheads

Shadow from the trees was a welcome relief from the searing sun.   
Chuck was forced to return to his job, and Thomas was alone again. Everyone was too busy with the girl and the Council to tell him where to start, so Thomas decided to explore somewhere far from people and sunburns.   
He walked aimlessly between the trees, trying not to think about what was waiting for him in the evening, when his eye caught a tiny red light and a silver shine of the Beetle Blade. Thomas froze in his tracks. The damn thing knew he was there. This time the creature was closer and Thomas could see every detail, including four letters imprinted into its scales : WCKD.  
Carefully, Thomas moved his foot to step closer, but the Beetle Blade suddenly rushed on the ground and into the forest. Without even thinking, Thomas ran after it.   
The thing was fast and small, he might as well run after a rat, and soon it got completely lost in the vegetation. Thomas searched through the last seen spot, kicking the grass in frustration.  
A crack of branches made him startle. But when Thomas turned in that direction, he saw only the graves.   
That place again.

The hot damp air of the forest made it hard to catch his breath. Thomas walked among the improvised boards, his heartbeat slowing step by step. He felt surprisingly sad about the worm-eaten wood, some names weren't even visible anymore. Were those boys completely forgotten by now ?   
Something shimmered through the withered grass, and Thomas leaned to clear it away. Only to jump back as his hand revealed a glass panel with a decaying corpse underneath. There was only the upper half of what must have been a glader. Thomas could see bones and thorn fabric fused into the rotten flesh.   
The epitaph on the board above stated : 'Let this half-shank be a warning to all. You can't escape through the Box.'  
So the poor guy was the one Newt mentioned earlier.   
"It could've been me." Thomas shivered.   
He finally understood why Alby and Newt were so hostile about the new ideas. Thomas wondered what could be worst, being the one to die or bear the guilt of sending someone else to rot under that grave... 

A new crack of branches, louder this time, made him startle again.   
"Hello ? Someone's there ?" Thomas called, alerted.   
A scrawny figure stepped out of the trees.   
Before Thomas could really see him, the boy let out a horrifying howl and jumped at him. They landed on the ground, and Thomas screamed when something sharp broke under his back and tore through his skin. He desperately tried to defend himself while the other boy was aiming for his throat, trying to rip it open with his teeth. Thomas was fighting his best and pushing beyond his limits to stay alive. The inhuman yells of the attacker were ringing in his ears, then his own cry of pain joined them when the sharp teeth finally got through and cut into Thomas' shoulder.   
With one last effort, Thomas kicked the other boy in the stomach, sending him crashing against the nearest board.   
He could see him now. The grayish skin was covered in black veins, the mad eyes filled with blood. He was way too skinny, dressed only in ripped shorts. It was Ben, the sick guy from the infirmary, Thomas realised. The boy was barely looking human by now, more like some nightmarish creature.  
Ben grabbed a sharp piece of wood, holding it like a dagger, and jumped back on his feet, ready to launch another attack.   
"Ben !" A loud shout made them both turn their heads.   
Newt was standing at the edge of the graveyard, pale like a ghost in the dim light, his features hard and menacing. He was holding his wooden staff like a weapon, and only then Thomas noticed the sharp metal tip aimed on Ben.   
"Stop right where you are !" Warned Newt "I swear it, move a muscle and I'll bloody kill you on the spot !"  
"Wrong target." Ben hissed and pointed his bony finger at Thomas "He's the one to kill off !"  
"The Changing fried your brain, huh ?" Newt haven't moved a bit "No one's gonna kill him. He's one of us now."  
"He's not one of us !" Yelled Ben in rage "I saw him ! I saw this... this scumbag... we must kill him ! Let me kill him ! Let me rip his guts out !"  
Thomas looked at Newt, horrified.  
But Newt was standing perfectly still and deadly calm.   
"It's up to Council to decide, Ben. Drop the weapon and return to the infirmary."  
"He wants to take us with him !" Ben started shifting from one foot to another, losing patience. "Get us out of the Maze ! We might as well jump down the Cliff ! He's a traitor !"  
A hysterical smile distorted Ben's features and he suddenly turned to attack.   
A loud whistling and a crack of bone ringed through the air, and Ben was thrown violently to the ground, the spear sticking from his head through the crushed cheekbone. The blood running from the wound was almost black and oily.   
Everything went motionless. Thomas watched the body like hypnotized, his brain trying to process what just happened.  
Newt rushed to lean over Thomas, his slender fingers searching for wounds, ripping the fabric off.  
"Are you alright !?" Newt sounded scared, and Thomas turned to meet his worried black eyes. "Tommy, you're bleeding !"   
"I... I think I'm fine." Thomas managed to answer. He was slowly regaining his senses, sharp pain burning his skin. "I don't think it's serious."  
Newt frowned and inspected him again. Thomas watched him, amazed, as the realisation settled in his mind. Newt just saved his life !   
Althrough Newt's features were stern again, his hands were gentle and caring.  
"I'm taking you to med-jacks. Can you walk ?"  
Thomas nodded.   
"You just called me Tommy..." He whispered softly.  
Newt looked up, surprised. But his composure was back just as quickly "Well, don't get any wrong ideas. I'm not playing nurses with you." But a little smile was lingering in the corner of his lips.  
He wrapped an arm around Thomas and helped him up. Thomas felt lightheaded and instinctively leaned on Newt to keep his balance. Instead of pushing him away, Newt held him closer, and the pain wasn't that important anymore.   
They walked carefully to the village, Thomas' feet slipping and tripping over the forest ground. Newt held him tight though, and Thomas' heart was racing, lost in the feling of hot slender body pressed against him.   
"How did you find me ?" Thomas asked after a while.  
"Chuck told me. I was going to take you to your first job, but now you can barely stand." Newt snorted "Lucky you, spending a day in the Glade doing nothing. You barely got here and already broke most of our rules."  
"Newt, do you know what he meant ?" Ben's angry yells still ringed in Thomas' mind. "He told I 'm not one of you and called me a traitor..."  
Newt froze in his tracks.  
"Don't ever speak of it again ! To no one ! Understood !?" There was an urgency in Newt's voice.  
"It's not all, Gally saw me too, and..."   
"Stop it !" Newt interrupted him sternly. "It's already hard enough to protect you ! Don't make it worse. Tonight the Council is meeting, and some of them are scared of you. I know what Gally told you, and I heard Ben too. No one needs to know ! If they think you're dangerous, they're going to banish you, Tommy !"  
Thomas shivered. "You mean, they're going to lock me out in the Maze ? With Grievers ?"  
Newt closed his eyes and nodded.   
"Please, I don't care who you was before you got in the Box." His voice was soft now. He opened his eyes and looked sadly to the ground. "I know you're not an enemy, Tommy. Don't ask me how, I just know, and I'm not afraid of you. Gally is a bloody shuckface, and Ben was jacked since forever. I don't care what they say. Promise me you'll never tell anyone."  
Thomas watched Newt as if he saw him for the first time. In a sense, it was true. From the mysterious stranger, Newt just turned into a friend who would kill and lie to protect him.  
"I promise." Thomas whispered. "Thank you for... everything."  
Newt smiled faintly "Come on, let's heal those wounds." 

That night, Thomas had trouble sleeping.   
He was sure he could still hear Ben's inhuman screams and crack of bone. The sight of pulsing black veins on gray skin, the blood-filled mad eyes and a broken camp-bed stained in dark blood haunted him.  
Despite being superficial, his wounds were hurting like hell, and Thomas was scared that whatever turned Ben into a monster could have infected him as well through the bite. Even if the med-jacks were positive there shouldn't be any problem, they still recommended to check for «blackish stuff» in the morning, just in case.   
At least, he knew now that Newt cared about him. Maybe not in the way Thomas wanted him to care, but he cared.   
He wasn't sure what they were though. Friends ? Accomplices in some dark secret ?  
What happened in the woods worried Thomas a lot. He was even more scared now to remember who he was before the Glade. He felt somehow responsible for Ben's death, even if it was in self-defense, and Newt was the one who threw the spear. Besides, now Newt was tied to his secrets and Thomas was afraid it could get him into trouble.   
Thomas wasn't a fool, he knew he was falling for Newt from the start. Although they barely knew each other for two days, his attraction for the black-eyed boy was just as natural as breathing, and there was nothing he could do about it. Like an old instinct kicking in.   
Thomas wondered if those were remains of his lost memory. Anyway, it was a wait and see situation, no matter how much it hurt.   
Silent tears rolled down Thomas' face. In two days he already had a liftime of nightmares, and it probably wasn't the end of it.   
He never knew when he fell asleep, wrapped in pain and fear, dreaming of jumping back into the Box pit to end it all. 

The next morning, Thomas was dragged out of his so-called bed by Chuck. His entire body hurt and he was stunned by a severe headache.   
His first action was to get rid of his new shirt and pull a scared Chuck to his shoulder.   
"Is it black ?!" He ripped the bandage off despite the sharp pain, desperate to hear the answer.  
"Uuuh..." Chuck stared at the wound like hypnotized, the sight obviously made him sick and fascinated at the same time.   
"What !? What's wrong !? Is it black !?" Thomas felt the panic twist his guts.  
"Not really..." The boy shook his head slowly "It's red... and really disgusting."  
"Damn it, Chuck ! You got me scared !" Thomas let out a relieved sigh and put the bandages back.   
The chubby boy gave him a tap on the other shoulder, a proud look on his face. "That will leave a cool scar !"  
Thomas winced "Yeah... you're not the one who'll get nightmares about this for the rest of your life."  
"You know, that already happened before." Chuck shrugged "A guy got stung by a Griever, totally lost it and jumped on a poor shank. It sucks, but it happens. Come on, we'll be late."  
Thomas rushed through his morning meal, keeping no memory of what it was. He wondered if he could work, given the headache and wounds. But walking around doing nothing wasn't an option, especially with the Council watching. 

Of course, his first job was at the Slaughterhouse.   
Thomas reluctantly walked to the building and found Newt waiting for him at the main door. A ray of light in this nightmare.  
"You alright, Tommy ?" The boy asked softly.   
"Could be better, but I'll manage." Thomas smiled faintly, trying to ignore the hammering pain.  
"You had some bad time yesterday." Newt shifted nervously on his feet "You must think I'm a shuckface for assigning you to the bloody Slaughterhouse after what happened. It's not intentional, I swear. Everyone starts here."  
"I'll be fine, Newt." Thomas placed a reassuring hand on boy's shoulder and was relieved to see Newt relax a bit at the contact instead of brushing it away. "What did the Council said ?"  
"They decided to wait few days, see if the girl wakes up."  
"How is she ?"  
"Still unconscious. No one knows why."  
"It's weird. I wonder if she really knows me."  
Newt looked away, the strange haunted expression back on his face.   
"I hope not."  
"Huh ? Why ?" Thomas was confused.  
"Aren't you afraid she might say something bad about you ?"  
"Sure." Thomas shrugged "But it's better then being left in the dark, thinking about worst case scenarios."  
"Yeah, maybe." Newt didn't look convinced. He reached for the door. "Follow me, I'll introduce you to Winston, your first Keeper. Don't worry, cutting meat for Frypan is just a small part of the job. Slicers mostly take care of the animals."

Winston was an ugly, short boy who enjoyed his job a little too much.   
Thomas felt uneasy in front of his happy smile while he talked about the need to kill animals for survival. It sounded more like killing for fun.  
Luckily, Thomas didn't have to slice any living creature that day. His job was to clean the pen and refill mangers.   
Unfortunately, he heard Winston slaughter a pig. The screams made him shake, and he kneeled on the ground for a while after it stopped to calm down.   
When Thomas left for lunch break two hours later, he took only a piece of bread and an apple, swearing to himself he'll never eat anything animal ever again. 

Feeling uncomfortable among the gladers, Thomas went away to eat his lunch in peace under a tree.   
He almost finished when a tall Asian rushed out of the Maze door not far from where he was sitting.   
The boy was a little older, maybe seventeen or eighteen years old. His clothes were soaked in sweat and he was wearing a leather harness around his broad shoulders.  
He jogged few steps into the Glade and fell on his knees, trying to catch his breath. He looked really exhausted, face flushed red, his whole body shaking.  
Thomas abandoned his lunch and rushed to him, alost forgetting his headache. He just couldn't miss the chance to speak to a runner.  
"Hey, are you okay ?" Thomas asked him.  
"Yeah... I'm fine..." The boy raised a surprised look "Who the hell are you ?"  
"Uh... I'm Thomas, the new guy."  
"Oh yeah, the greenie and the girl. Hi !"   
The runner raised on his feet again, regaining his strength.   
He was at least a head taller then Thomas, and twice stronger, all muscles and good looks. His skin was tan and black hair cut very short. Thomas wished he could look that cool.  
"So, you saw the girl ?" Asked the boy. "Everyone think you know her."  
"It's not true. Maybe I did before, but I can't remember anything now."  
"Join the club ! Is she pretty ?"  
"Uh..." Thomas was puzzled. "Yeah, she's rather pretty."  
The runner smiled cheerfully "I knew it !"  
Before Thomas could ask anything, Alby came running to them, clearly worried.  
"Minho !? What are you doing here ? What's wrong ?"  
"I found something." He looked at Thomas, unsure if he should continue.  
To Thomas' surprise, Alby didn't chase him away or even looked annoyed by his presence.   
"Don't worry about him, you can speak." The leader encouraged instead.  
"I found a carcass." Minho smiled. "A dead Griever."  
"What ?" Alby looked stunned "Are you sure it's dead ?"  
"Looks pretty dead to me, but don't count on me to poke it !"  
"What it looks like ? The lights are off ? The skin, is it still wet ?"  
"I think so." Minho shrugged.  
"You think so, or you know so ?" Insisted Alby.  
"Look, it's near the Cliff, you can see for yourself. I'm tired and starving, but we can make it there and back before the doors close if we hurry."  
Alby looked at the sun and shook his head.  
"Too risky, we should wait tomorrow."  
"Fine with me !" agreed Minho. "Should I go back there ? I pushed so hard to get back faster, I'll faint if I run a step more."  
"Go eat something." Alby patted him on the back "You're done for today."  
The runner left for the lunch tables with a greatefull smile. Judging by his dragging feet, he was indeed too tired to run for now. 

As soon as Minho was far enough, Alby turned to face Thomas.   
"Is there something I should know ?" He asked sternly.  
Thomas sighed, here goes another session of death glares and accusations.  
"I don't know anything, Alby."   
"I don't believe in coincidences." Alby stepped closer, warning. "First Gally, then the girl, then Ben tried to kill you, and now the dead Griever ! If you know something, or have any strange familiar feeling, you better come running to tell me !"  
"Alright, I will." Thomas hated lying.  
"There's no way you're sinking Newt with you !" The black-skinned boy was menacing. "Promise me !"  
Thomas felt his stomach knot.   
"I promise." He whispered.  
Alby threw him one last sharp glance before turning around and walking away. 

There was a lot to do at the Slaughterhouse, and Thomas tried hard to set his mind off the encounter with Alby. For once, he was scared to think about the meaning.   
Suddenly, the door slammed open and Chuck rushed inside.  
"Thomas !..." The boy panted wide-eyed. "Ben... he's not dead !"


	6. Condemned

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sory for taking my time with this one. Christmas is coming, and it was a very busy week, running for presents and stuff ^^'
> 
> This one is filled with angst... and Newt.  
> Enjoy ;)

"What !?"  
Thomas stared at Chuck in disbelief.  
"Ben's alive !" The boy was extatic. "He's locked in the jail, with half his head busted."  
"It's impossible..." Thomas felt sick, he couldn't imagine the horror of waking up with that wound.  
"Don't worry, he's not going to hurt you again. I guess he'll regret that Newt missed him !"  
"What do you mean ?"  
"The Council decided to banish him for trying to kill you." Explained the boy cheerfully.  
Thomas felt dizzy.   
He was scared of Ben, but the punishment seemed out of proportions. He knew the poor guy wasn't himself. Whatever the Griever injected him with was the only thing responsible for his madness.   
Ben deserved a cure, not a horrible death. 

At sunset, Newt and Alby gathered all of the Gladers at the Maze door.  
The Runners were back by then and the closing time was imminent.  
Thomas tried to approach Newt, but the boy avoided him. He ignored the calls, keeping his eyes down and lips sealed. He looked even more pale and haunted then usual.   
"Newt, please ! You can't do that !" begged Thomas over the crowd.  
He almost got near when Alby stepped in front of him, giving Thomas a warning glare that left no need for words.  
Hopeless, Thomas moved aside and watched as all the boys cleared a path leading straight to the dreadful opening. Alby stood in front of it, Newt as a ghost behind his shoulder.   
Thomas shivered when he saw how fragile Newt looked in front of those huge stone walls. A blink of memory crossed his mind, just an impression of fear and blood, but it vanished before Thomas could figure out the details.  
"It's time !" Shouted Alby.   
Three of the strongest gladers stepped between the crowd, dragging Ben on the ground. Half of his face was a mess of ripped flesh soaked in black blood. There were dry stains of it all over Ben's greyish skin and dirty clothes. He was hanging like dead, his eyes opened and fixed in terror on the dakness of the Maze door.   
The poor guy was brought at Alby's feet and forced on his knees.  
"Ben of the Builders !" Alby's voice was loud and cold "You have broken the second rule by trying to kill Thomas ! There is no mercy for your crime ! The Council of Keepers sentences you to banishment ! You may never return in the Glade !"  
Ben was shaking, tears running down his face.  
"Please, Alby..." His voice was muffled by the horrible wound that twitched his jaw in a weird angle when he tried to speak. "It's the Changing ! I would have never killed him... I swear ! I was just a little... confused. I beg you Alby ! Please, please don't do this !"  
Every word stung Thomas like a dagger. He couldn't believe that this broken boy was the same bloodthirsty creature that attacked him in the graveyard. It all felt unreal.   
Several Gladers stepped from the crowd, Minho and Winston among them. Ben looked at them like a trapped animal, his face suddenly distorted in rage. Long spears were handed to Alby, Newt and the Keepers as they surrounded Ben and pointed their weapons at the condemned boy.  
Ben jumped on his feet, trying to find and opening in the dreadful circle. He was trembling and crying in panic.   
"No ! Don't do this ! I won't hurt anyone ! Please..." An inhuman low growl escaped from his throat. "Help me... please ! Someone ! Don't do this to me !"  
The loud rumble filled the air and the ground started to quake as the stone doors moved to close. Stunned and dizzy, Thomas lost his balance and fell on his knees. He saw Newt give him a worried look. As their eyes locked, Thomas knew that the blonde boy felt just as trapped and desperate as Ben. Neither of them had any choice in what was happening, Newt's hands tied by his duty to the Glade.   
Forced by spears on the other side, Ben screamed in fury an pain with all the strength of his lungs, before disappearing behind the massive stone door that sealed his fate.  
As the crushing silence fell on the Glade, Thomas realised that his own face was soaked with tears.

No one talked after the banishment. The Gladers took their meal and went to sleep early in deadly silence.   
Thomas saw Newt head directly to the Homestead and enter the small door on the side. Alby's room, Chuck explained to Thomas as they settled for the night, Newt was sharing leader's quarters for months.  
"Are they..." Thomas failed to say it at first. "Are they... lovers ?"  
Chuck shrugged. "Don't know. Never saw them do anything to prove it, but they are very close."  
That night, Thomas tossed under his thin blanket, unable to get Ben's howls and Newt's desperate look out of his mind.   
Or the idea of what Newt might be doing in that room.   
After a while, he went outside to clear his head, hoping for a breeze of fresh air, but it was just as hot and heavy as inside. Thomas leaned against the wall, doubts and guilt twisting his guts.   
Holding back the tears, he raised his eyes to the black sky. It was blank, nothing but the mute darkness. Thomas felt like something was missing, but couldn't remember what.   
Feeling lonely and shattered, he slowly drifted into the slumber. 

At dawn, a gentle touch on shoulder waked Thomas from the sleep. He opened his eyes to see Newt kneeling next to him, lit in golden by the morning sun. For a while he thought he was still dreaming.   
"It's late, Tommy." Newt told softly. "After everything that happened lately, I ordered others to let you sleep a little longer."  
"Oh, thanks." Thomas was a little suprised and grateful.  
He moved to get up and felt the stiff muscles send a jolt of pain through his body. With a moan, he fell back, stretching carefully his limbs one by one. Newt chuckled and sat down cross-legged next to him.   
"Today you're working at the garden. The Keeper is Zart, he's a nice guy, I think you'll like him. He's not very kind to lazy shanks, but I explained that you'll be late, he won't..."  
Newt was interrupted by the low rumble of the stone doors. The Maze was opening.   
Thomas saw Minho and Alby pace in front of it. For a while, he almost expected to see Ben rush on them from the other side, but there was nothing but stone and ivy.  
As soon as the passage was wide enough, Minho and Alby disappeared inside the hallway.   
Newt watched them leave, his black eyes filled with sadness.   
"You know, I saw only three banishments. All as nasty as Ben's. We never saw the bodies, only trails of blood and guts."  
"Are you okay ?"  
"Yeah." Newt turned to smile at him. A sad smile. "I know we did the right thing. Doesn't mean I like it though."  
"I'm sorry." Thomas played with pebbles at his feet.   
"Newt... Tell me more about the Runners."  
"Runners, huh ?" Newt frowned. "You never give up, do you ? Well, everything in this bloody hole depends on them. They are chosen among the best of us. I already told you that."  
"Yeah, but how exactly ? Is there a test to see how fast they are ?"  
Newt snorted.  
"Really ? Come on, you think it's that easy ? Running is only a small part of it !"  
"Alright, what's required then ?"  
"When I say the best of us, I mean at everything. To survive in the bloody Maze you need to be smart, fast and strong. Make difficult decisions in a blink of an eye. You can't be shy or reckless in there. It's a nightmare. I don't miss it."  
Thomas felt his heart skip a beat.  
"Wait... you were a Runner !?"  
Newt winced and his eyes turned darker.  
"Yeah" He absently ran his slender hand down his right ankle. "That was before I hurt my damn leg few months ago. Never been the same again."  
"What happened ?" Thomas asked softly.  
"A bugging Griever almost got me." Newt shivered "I could've been like Ben. Still gives me chills thinking I was that close from going through the Changing."  
Thomas remembered the first night when they talked at the wall, when Newt showed him the Griever, all the fury and pain he saw in Newt's eyes. Back then, he didn't know Newt actually experienced the encounter in person.  
"I thought the Grievers came out only at night ?"  
Newt nodded. "Usually."  
"What's so difficult about being a Runner ?"  
"Don't you get it ? The Maze changes every day, always a new pattern to remember, the fear you might not make it back. In a normal maze it would be difficult already, but when it's always moving, a small mistake is enough to stay locked out with deadly beasts."  
"I need to go there." Thomas replied firmly.  
Newt looked at him in desbelief. "And I need to keep you safe ! It's been only few bloody days, and you already faced more danger then most of us ever have ! You have death wishes or what ?"  
"Newt, I'm serious. I can't pull weeds and feed cattle all my life, I'll go crazy ! I don't know who I was before the Glade, but I feel it in my bones, I need to be a Runner."  
"Forget it ! No one becomes a Runner so fast. You have to prove a lot before you even get Minho's attention."  
"But I know I can do it !"  
With a sad sigh, Newt locked his sharp black eyes with Thomas.  
"I'm sure you can, that's not the problem." He hesitated before continuing. "Alright, listen. If you start telling you're too gifted to work in the Glade and your place is with the best of the best, you'll make enemies. Our survival depend on bloody rules, if you want to bend them, you must learn them first. The order keeps us busy, keeps us from losing our minds. Ben got banished not only because we can't let him running around killing people, but also because he was dangerous to watch and listen too. He would've remined us what we may become. Without rules, we're all dead. So let's make a deal, Tommy. You stay quiet about it, and I'll talk to Minho. But try anything yourself, and I'll make sure you never go in there. Ever ! Deal ?"  
Thomas almost whined in frustration, but finally nodded.   
"Deal."

Thomas spent the rest of the day killing himself at work. Newt was right, Zart seemed to be a nice guy, practical and friendly. He didn't talk much, and Thomas was grateful for that.   
At the end of the day, he was exhausted. Even though the work in the garden wasn't his idea of spending time, it was a welcome change compared to the Slaughterhouse.   
He dragged himself to get the evening meal, then to the Homestead, determined to pass out on his blanket. But froze in his tracks when he saw Newt sitting on the grass with his meal untouched, eyes reddish and face pale with worry.  
Forgetting about the well deserved rest, Thomas turned to check on him.  
"Hey, what's wrong ?"  
The slender boy startled, suddenly aware of Thomas' presence, giving him a desperate look.  
"They're not back, Tommy. Alby and Minho, they should've been back a long ago. Something's wrong."  
"Maybe they found something worth a long study ?" Thomas tried to comfort him.   
But Newt shook his head. "It's almost closing time. They've been gone since this morning, if Alby found something big, he would've got back to tell me before investigating any further."  
"Maybe we should go in search for them then ?" Thomas offered.  
Newt closed his eyes.  
"We can't." He replied softly. "Sending search parties is forbidden. We can't risk losing more people."  
They stayed like there, silently sitting side by side, watching the maze door, Newt's plate forgotten on his knees.   
After a while, all the other Runners got back. But there was still no sign of Alby or Minho.   
Thomas could hear Newt's breath become heavy and trembling. Gently, he reached for the slender hand in the grass and felt cold fingers curl around his tightly.  
He could see other Gladers start to panic, but they all avoided to bother Newt and continued their daily routine in silence. Even Chuck watched them from the distance, too shy to join.

As the shadows started to crawl over the walls, Newt raised on his feet, letting go of Thomas' hand and knocking his dinner on the floor. He wasn't even trying to hide his fear anymore.   
Thomas followed him to the door.   
They stopped right in front of the opening, Newt staring in the darkness of the empty hallway.  
"That's enough !" Thomas was losing his patience, seeing how much it affected Newt. "I can't wait here doing nothing ! Rules or not, I'm going to search for them !"  
Newt turned a sharp, panic-filled glare at him "Are you crazy !? Don't you ever listen !? The doors would be closing soon, it's bloody suicide !"  
"Alright, what do we do then ?"   
Newt's eyes filled with tears, features twisted in anger.  
"Nothing ! You hear me !? Bloody nothing !" He shouted in pain and fury. "Just shut up, Tommy! You've been here few days only ! You really think I wouldn't throw my life in a second if there was any chance to save those shanks !?"  
"No... I'm sorry. I didn't mean..." Thomas stepped back, looking at his feet.   
Newt softened.  
"You don't get it, Tommy. They know what's waiting for them if they're late. They know we can't send help. If they're not back yet, it means..." His voice cut, unable to say the words. "Minho can't get lost in the Maze, he's too smart and he knows it too well. They're already… dead."  
A tear ran down Newt's cheek. He wiped it with his sleeve, watching shadows on the walls get darker with every second. Thomas never imagined to see someone so sad.   
Thomas barely met Alby and Minho, but it hurt to think that they were lost somewhere between those massive walls, probably killed by the terrifying creature Newt showed him through the window. 

The deafening grinding of moving stone filled the air.   
Newt howled in despair as the walls started to slide. Thomas was stunned, watching helplessly as everything was going to hell for good.  
Suddenly, something caught his attention from the other side of the Maze hallway.   
Two figures stumbled slowly to the narrowing exit. It was Minho, dragging unconscious Alby who was practically hanging on his back like a backpack. The tall Runner was worn out, barely able to walk, taking every step like it was his last. He lost his grip and Alby slipped on the floor. Minho leaned over him, trying to drag him by arms, without success.   
They had no chance of making it in time.   
Newt fell on his knees, a loud wail escaping from his lungs.   
The stone door was almost shut, only few feet more and it would be over.  
Taking one last look on Newt's shaking figure and devastated features, Thomas rushed forward, pushing through the cold stone at the last second.   
The door slammed behind him, his head still filled with the echo of beloved voice screaming his name.


	7. Stay Alive

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry for taking so long to post a new chapter. It was a nightmare of Holidays. My father went through two brain surgeries, and I spent the last three weeks in hospitals, travelling across France and sleeping on friends' sofas.  
> Luckily, it seems that everything is alright now, and I'm finally back home.

The entire world froze in sudden silence.  
The surrounding cold stone looked like a crypt grave to Thomas. His grave. The consequences of what he had just done were slowly coming alive in his mind. There would be Grievers, and horrible death, and no way back to the Glade. No way back to Newt.  
Shivering in shock, Thomas walked closer to his companions of misery.  
Minho let himself fall against the nearest wall, trying to catch his breath. Alby was lying motionless on the ground.  
As Thomas leaned over to check Alby's pulse, he heard Minho’s bitter laugh.  
"What were you thinking, greenie ? You’re dead now. We’re all dead."  
Thomas winced. Hearing Minho telling aloud what he already knew felt even worse.  
"I couldn’t just watch you and do nothing." he replied shyly.  
"And it helps us how exactly ?" Minho sighed. "Oh well, whatever. Feel free to die if that’s what you’re after, doesn’t matter now."  
Alby was still breathing, but only barely. His dark skin took a grayish shade. His clothes were ripped and soaked in blood from deep cuts on his arms.  
Thomas tore a strip of his shirt, carefully wrapping it around the worst cut in attempt to stop the bleeding. Minho watched him absently. There was nothing lively about the tall runner anymore, as if all his spirit was drained away.  
"So, what happened ?" Thomas needed more information to make up for his screw-up of getting trapped.  
"Finds out, Grievers can play dead very well." Minho replied in even voice.  
Thomas tore another stip of fabric. He was aware that bandaging wounds of a dying boy in the place no one ever survived must've looked desperately pointless. But at least he felt like doing something right for once.  
"Do you think Alby can make it till morning ?"  
"No way. I don’t know how long it takes for someone without the serum. But I guess we’ll never find out, since we’ll not gonna make it till morning either."  
Thomas thought about Newt’s scream still ringing in his mind, and desperation the blonde boy showed at the maze door. Thomas longed to see him again and make sure that everything was fine. Where was Newt now ? Was he waiting by the door or back in that small room he shared with Alby ? Would he recover if they die ? Would Newt remember him ? Would he care ?  
The image of Newt sparkled a new surge of resolution in Thomas. No matter what other gladers thought about a night in the maze, he would find a way to prove them wrong or die trying. Who knows, there’s always a first time for everything after all. And seeing Newt again was something worth fighting for in this twisted world.  
Bandages finished, Thomas raised on his feet and studied the dark hallway that lead into the heart of the maze.  
"Well, we’re not dead yet, and sitting here waiting for Grievers isn’t exactly helpful either. Do you know how many of them we should expect ?"  
"No idea."  
"Alright then, how many of you got locked in here since the beginning ?"  
"Twelve maybe ?" Minho shrugged. "We only found bits and pieces, when we found anything left at all. We should drag Alby to the door, it will make one less body to search for in the morning."  
Thomas wanted to slap him out of that defeated state, but decided to stay tactful.  
"Did it stung you too ?"  
"No idea." repeated Minho "Maybe, maybe not. I might collapse any second for all I know."  
"Alright, how do Grievers attack ? Do they bite ?"  
Minho snorted grimly.  
"Bite ? No, they sting you with needles and cut you in shreds with their blades."  
Thomas shivered, he wasn’t sure he knew how to fight, in case he had to face one of those things in combat.  
"So, if a Griever attacked you, how did you escape ?"  
"We didn’t, the Griever was the one to run away. We thought it was dead, but when Alby touched it, it just jumped on him, stinging and slicing. Next thing I know, it was running away."  
Thomas raised his eyes to the thick ivy that spread into the darkness above.  
"What about these, can we climb them ?"  
Minho was about to answer when the sound filled the air and reverberated between the cold walls around them. A low, haunting wail and horrific clicks of metal on the stone floor.  
Thomas felt his breath quicken and his heart flutter painfully in his chest. It was getting louder and closer.  
Minho jumped on his feet, throwing a panicked look to Thomas.  
"Run ! We have to split up, it’s our only chance ! Run, don't stop, don't look back !"  
And just like that, he was gone, disappearing in the dark space ahead.

Thomas couldn't resolve himself to run after Minho, where the sounds were coming from.  
He was angry at the runner for leaving him alone with unconscious Alby, angry at himself for jumping into this deadly trap on impulse, angry at his brain that refused to think under pressure.  
He closed his eyes and took a deep breath, forcing himself to think about something nice to regain composure, and Newt's smile came naturally to his mind. He focused on the memory of black eyes shining in golden sun, the touch of Newt's hands and the soft sound of his voice, tinted with that lovely accent.  
Calming down, Thomas looked around. Few steps away, the ivy was faling on the ground in a thick curtain. The place was small, but enough to hide one body.  
Alby was fierce and harsh, and Thomas was jealous of whatever he shared with Newt, but he just couldn't let him to the Griever's mercy like that.  
Though Thomas was much smaller and thinner then Minho, he wasn't as injured and tired, and it didn't took him long to drag Alby against the wall. The terryfing clicking grew closer and Thomas could see a distant halo of ghostly lights flicker on the stone. Pushing with all his strength, he managed to hide Alby in the small cavity under the ivy curtain. The boy was completely concealed, as long as he doesn't move or make a sound, that should be enough.

Stepping back, Thomas reached the vines of the opposite wall. He really hoped Grievers couldn't climb those. The light was brighter now, and the sound deafening. Another terrifying moan filled the moldy air. Thomas ran along the wall, inspecting feverishly the ivy until he spotted a thick one. He pulled on it, and it looked solid enough to handle his weight. Encouraged, he took grip on it and started climbing into the darkness above.  
A sharp screeching of metal startled him. It wasn't an echo anymore, the Griever found the hallway. Surging all of his energy into the effort, Thomas focused on climbing up as fast as he could until the vines got too thin to continue.  
He nested himself as deep in the leaves as he could, turning carefully to look down. The lights were bright now, dancing on the walls all around. He could see the Griever swinging on its iron limbs as it was slowly getting closer, scratching and clicking reletlessly on the stone ground. The creature was even more horrifying then on the first night through the glass pannel. Now that Thomas could see it whole, it looked like someone's nightmarish experiment gone awfully wrong. Solid metal legs sticking from the necrotized flesh of loosely animal shape. The difformed head with parasite machinery and flashlights digged into slimy skin.  
This time there was nothing between the Griever and Thomas, except thin air and desperate hope.  
This is it, he thought to himself, time to find out if I'm safe up here.

Holding his breath, Thomas watched the monster walk past the spot where Alby was hidden without noticing, at least one good news he thought. But fear paralyzed Thomas when the creature stopped right underneath him.  
A distant memory lingered on the back of his head when eerie lights moved on his face and cast strange shadows on the walls around. A terror from when he was a small kid. He used to watch shadows just like these on the walls of his shelter. A tear rolled on his cheek. He wished to be back home, wherewer it was, find his parents he hoped were still alive and searching for him. But he also wanted to be back in the Glade and hold Newt tight, until the warmth of his touch erases this nightmare.  
Thomas could smell the stench of burned flesh and decay coming from the monster. Trembling in fear, he wondered if the thing could see him, hear him breathe ? He barely felt the ivy vines dig into his skin and leave raw scrapes.  
Seconds were stretching into eternity as the terrifying creature waited. Then in the sudden wail of metal and moans, it started to climb up the wall.

Adrenaline rush ran through Thomas' veins, surged by the worst fear he had ever experienced. He felt trapped and useless. No way up, no way down, he had to go to the side where the vines disappeared into the heart of the maze.  
The Griever advanced fast, throwing shreds of ivy and rock as it stabbed the wall with metallic legs. Thomas reached for anything he could find a grip on, pulling and jumping as fast as he could.  
He wasn't fast enough.  
He needed a new strategy. Letting go of the ivy, Thomas let himself fall, gripping at the vine every few feet, just enough to slow him down. Sharp pain burned his hands and arms as the skin was thorn, but he ignored it until he hit the ground. The monster followed, bouncing on the wall like a huge mechanical spider.  
Before Thomas could regain his senses from the fall, the deadly thing jumped, landing above him, a swarm of needles and blades ready to tear him to shreds. Thomas screamed and kicked in the awful head with all his strength. Something cracked under his foot and he was rewarded by a sharp hiss of the creature. The small clearing it offered was all Thomas needed. He took off, running for his life.

His lungs and muscles were on fire, he felt lightheaded as the turns and ramifications of the maze succeeded at maddening speed. Thomas could hear the Griever's relentless clicking behind him, and knew he couldn't keep distance much longer.  
As he turned another corner, the world around him froze. Another Griever blocked the way ahead, resolutely advancing straight at Thomas.  
So this is how it's going to be ? He's going to die alone, ripped in shreds by someone's mad creation, with only few days of memory and Newt's name on his lips ? Tears of frustration blurred Thomas' vision. He gritted his teeth and clenched his fists in rage. No way he's making it easy for these ugly bastards ! He'd fight until his last breath !  
With a yell, Thomas charged the monster ahead. At the last second though, he spotted an opening and dove under, sliding on the stone ground between iron legs. Searing pain burned Thomas' back as one of the Griever's blades slashed him, but the creature was too massive to change trajectory so fast and he made it through.  
Thomas jumped on his feet and sprinted forward, into the cleared path. Terrifying howls and metallic screech trailing behind.

Suddenly, something slammed into him, throwing Thomas to a narrow hallway on the side. He struggled in panic until familiar voice made him stop and realize it was Minho.  
He followed the tall runner through the corridors until Minho slowed down to take a breath. The sounds of Grievers were a distant echo now, still louder with every second, but far enough to give another chance of finding a better solution.  
"I got... an idea..." panted Minho, pointing the mute darness behind him.  
At first, Thomas didn't unterstood what he was looking at, but something felt wrong with the dark space ahead. The hallway didn't end with a wall or another turn, it just ended. The darkness of the night wasn't that complete, but ahead, there was only a black oblivion that swallowed the world entirely.  
The maze ended into the void.  
Thomas leaned closer and ran his fingers along the smooth edge of the cut stone. The empty black sky spread ahead and underneath, swallowing the rest of the world as if the collosal structure of the maze was floating in the middle of empty space.  
"It’s impossible..." he whispered "There’s nothing there !"  
Minho let out a sad chuckle.  
"The outside world isn't much to be excited about, huh ?"  
The terrifying clicking and wails of the Grievers were almost on them now. Thomas felt dizzy as his hopes to find a way out vanished.  
"We found it a long time ago." Continued Minho. "Shanks back in the Glade should never know about this. Hope keeps them alive, so we run."  
Newt used to be a runner, he knew about this place, Thomas wondered if it was the reason for his haunted look ?  
"Alright, we need to move at the right moment." Minho stepped back, grabbing Thomas’ shoulder and pulling him to the cliff until their heels were only few inches from the edge. "I saw you escape under the Griever. They're too heavy, so this time there's a little surprise for them."  
Thomas nodded. Every nerve in his body hurt and he was almost sure the drops that ran down his spine were blood, but he was ready to fight. Way out or not, he still had Newt to come back to, and the Glade wasn’t that bad after all.

It didn’t took long for Grievers to show down the hallway. The monsters advanced side by side, blocking the exit to corner their preys.  
"On my mark !" warned Minho as the creatures rushed on them at increasing speed. "Not yet... not yet... Go !"  
Moving as one, they both dropped on the ground and Thomas heard the whistle of a sharp blade slashing the air above his head.  
The massive body of rotten flesh and solid metal passed over him.  
He turned just in time to see the creature trip into botomless sky and dissapear into the thin air few yards further.  
Holding their breaths, Minho and Thomas waited and listened. Nothing.  
The pressure loosened and Thomas felt his whole body shiver in shock. He curled into a ball, bursting into tears, unable to stop.  
Minho leaned against the wall and watched absently the black sky.

They couldn’t tell how much time passed. After a while, Thomas calmed down and stayed lying on the icy floor, weak from searing pain and sadness, until the dawn tinted horizon in orange.  
He blinked at the color ahead.  
Slowly moving his hurt limbs, Thomas crawled to the edge, leaving bloody trails on the stone. Underneath, the solid wall of the maze went down as far as the eye could see.  
"This is insane..." he whispered to himself.  
"Huh, what ?" Minho finally emerged from his frozen state.  
Thomas stayed silent, stared at the spot where the Griever disappeared.  
"I can’t believe we made it." told Minho after a while.  
Thomas nodded in silence, eyes still fixed on the empty sky ahead. There was something wrong with it from the start.  
"Where did it go ?" he wondered.  
"Where did what go ?" Minho stared at him with confused frown.  
"The Griever. I saw it vanish after it fell over the edge."  
"Yeah, I heard some other runners tell crazy stories about things disappearing in there. But we tried. It doesn’t work. Look."  
Minho picked a rock and threw it into the sunrise. Thomas watched it tumble down, further and further, until it was too far to see. He sighed in dissappointment.  
Suddenly, Thomas startled, the weird sky forgotten.  
"Oh no, Alby !" He raised laboriously on his feet, struggling against the sharp pain that stiffened every muscle in his body. "Come on, we must go back !"

"No way Alby's still alive." Stated Minho as they limped painfully back to the Glade side by side.  
"We don’t know that."  
"Even if he’s not dead yet, it’s too late for the serum anyway. He’s going to turn like Ben."  
The memory of the infected boy and his execution made Thomas cringe.  
"We don’t know that either !" he replied sharply. "What's this serum anyway ? Where does it come from ?"  
"It's an antidote, ready to inject. It comes up with supplies in the Box." Despite the exhaustion and pain, Minho seemed happier with every step. "It usually heals those who get stung, even if they have to go through Changing anyway. Which sucks. There are few cases like Ben though, when it doesn't work for some reason."

They were almost back, when a motion and rustle ahead made them startle, ready to see other Grievers emerge. But the fear was immediately remplaced by joy and relief when they saw Newt and other runners run towards them.  
Before Thomas could do anything, he found himself in Newt’s arms, hugged desperately tight. He sighed and relaxed into the touch. He buried his face in Newt’s shoulder, running his fingers in golden hair, as the rest of the world turned into a blur.  
"Don’t you bloody do that again, Tommy." he heard Newt whisper against his ear.  
Thomas couldn't tell when exactly he felt himself falling on the ground. He saw Newt trying to catch him and ended up lying on blonde's lap. He felt sorry, looking at how pale and exhaused Newt looked, dark circles under bloodshot eyes, lips almost white.  
"Tommy ?" Newt whispered in shaky voice. "Tommy, stay with me..."  
"Get Alby..." Thomas tried to get up, but his body refused to move. "I hid him under the ivy... he was stung..."  
Newt looked at him in panic and confusion.  
Thomas felt his mind drifting away. It felt so nice, to rest in Newt's embrace. His body has gone numb and he couldn't feel the pain anymore. He just wanted to close his eyes and rest like that.  
He saw Newt stare at his slender hand covered in blood. Heard him shout desperately for med-jacks.  
Then all went blank.


	8. Get what you Deserve

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for taking so long to write this one. I didn't want to rush it, as from now on, things would take a different path to slowly meet an alternate ending, and I had to make sure everything was in place.  
> I hope you'll enjoy it ;)  
> I also cleaned up previous chapters a little. Just fixing some mistakes and spelling errors.

The white light at the end of the long hallway.  
He runs with his bare feet on the cold concrete floor. Everything is a blur and he's overwhelmed by fear and anger. The sting of betrayal makes it hard to breathe.  
He storms into the light to find the slender boy in white uniform lying unconscious on the hospital bed, wired on medical devices. There is a glass wall between them, his hands leave blood trails when he helplessly tries to break it. It doesn't matter how he got those bruises. He can't get on the other side.  
There are other people there, but he can't see their faces or remember their names.  
There's only the ruthless, cold white light.  
It's too late, they're taking the Subject A5 away... 

 

Thomas opened his eyes on the orange sunshine.  
It took him a moment to realise where he was. The Glade was singing its daily routine outside. The infirmary bed he was lying on was much more comfortable then his old sleeping bag.  
Thomas tried to move and immediately felt the pain all over his body. There were cuts and bruises everywhere, and the wound on his back hurt really bad. But none of it looked serious, just very unpleasant.  
The memory of the horrific night in the Maze seemed unreal with all that sunlight through the window and peaceful sounds of casual life all around.  
The motion obviously alerted someone who was sleeping in the corner. The boy stood up in a jump and hurried to his bed with a happy smile.  
"Oh... Hey, Chuck..." greeted Thomas weakly.  
He felt a little bit guity for expecting someone else, though he was glad to see a friendly face.  
"Finally !" the young boy was shining with joy. "I thought you'd never wake up !"  
"Uh, how long have I slept ?"  
"Almost four days !"  
Thomas stared at Chuck wide-eyed. He felt like falling asleep only few hours ago.  
"What you did in the Maze, that was awesome !" the boy cheered, ignoring the astonishment of his friend. "Alby's okay ! You saved him ! The serum worked and he's going to make it, thanks to you !"  
"Really ? That's fantastic !" Thomas felt relieved. The last time he saw Alby, his chances to make it were melting like snow under the sun.  
"Yeah ! Minho's fine too, he's been running around telling everyone how you saved them both !"  
Thomas winced a little on that one, it seemed overstated.  
"Uh... speaking about that," Muttered Chuck shyly, suddenly calming down. "The Council called for a Gathering to decide what to do with you."  
"What do you mean ?" Thomas frowned in worry.  
"Well, you broke our rules. And there's the whole thing with Ben and Gally freaking out when they saw you. Then you killed two Grievers, saved two of our most esteemed Gladers and survived a night in the Maze. That's a lot to talk about ! Newt was delaying it until you wake up, but he's under a lot of pressure lately."  
Thomas raised on his elbows despite the pain.  
"Is he alright ?"  
"I don't know." Chuck shrugged. "He's acting strange since you guys got locked in the Maze. He's been sneaking in here every night to see how you're doing, but he made me promise not to tell anyone. He's our new leader now. At least until Alby's done with the Changing."  
Thomas felt uneasy. Apparently troubles weren't over. Of course Newt wasn't in his room, with upcoming Gathering and his new position, his fairness would be questionned. Besides, if Newt had any time to spend, he'd be with Alby. From what Thomas knew, this Changing thing was a torture.  
Thomas lay back on the bed with a sigh.  
"Chuck ? I've often heard you guys mention the Changing. What is it ?"  
"I don't know much." The boy shifted, ill at ease. "Only that it's some kind of phase you go through when you get stung. Gives part of your memories back for some reason. But shanks who made it through become different, that's why we call it the Changing, because you're never the same after. There are few of them in the Glade, but most of us just avoid them because they are... depressing, and weird. Gally's the worst."  
"Yeah, tell me about it." Thomas shivered remembering the look on Gally's face when he saw the girl. 

As the sunset colored the room in dark red, Thomas heard Alby's screams come from the other room. It wasn't the same sound as Ben's though. Alby was in agonising pain, no doubt about that, but his voice was unmistakably human.  
Thomas wasn't sure that what he did in the Maze could really qualify as saving. Whatever Alby was going through seemed worse then thousands deaths, and would change the tough leader forever.  
He wondered why. If they recovered part of their memories during the Changing, then maybe they were simply returning to their real personalities, from before the Glade ?  
Thomas thought about the white light, he was sure he saw Newt in his dream. But not the boy he knew, with his blonde hair flowing past his shoulders and pale skin marked by the harsh life of the Glade. The one from his dream was clean of dust and scars, his hair cut short and features slightly younger.  
It wasn't a dream, it was a missing memory, he was certain of it. But he couldn't figure out the meaning. Every time he tried to focus on anything more, the details eluded him, leaving only anger and frustration.  
Where was it, and who were the people that took Newt away ? Why he called him Subject A5 ? Who could be twisted enough to create the Glade and the Grievers, then send all those kids to die ? Erase their memories only to put them through the Changing, if they ever survived at all ?  
Was it all worth the suffering ?  
No one found the solution in five years, but Thomas couldn't believe that Minho was right about the empty sky being the only thing left for them outside. They kept hope. In five years the Gladers held on their lives despite everything, even those who knew for the endless void. They were strong and brave, and Thomas was proud to be one of them now.  
They all came out of the Box, probably sent from the place with the white light. So it existed somewhere, and the Glade wasn't the only things left in the world. There was still a possibility of solution.  
And the girl, who was she ? Thomas felt some kind of connection with her, like a dirty secret shared by accomplices in crime. He knew she was important. Why didn't she woke up after all that time ? What did she, Gally or Ben knew about the outside world ?  
Sinking deep into his thoughts, Thomas slowly drifted asleep, with Alby's screams and rumble of the Maze as lullabies.

 

On the next morning, Thomas was sitting in the center of the Council room, facing Newt and ten Keepers.  
He felt uncomfortable the whole time he walked from the infirmary, surrounded by guards, with everyone staring at him in awe or hatred. Now that the reality of trial had made its way into his mind, he felt scared.  
Newt greeted him with a sad smile, and was clearly avoiding to look at him ever since. The new leader of the Glade could try to conceal all he wanted, Thomas noticed how tired and haunted he was. His graceful hands were scraped on knuckles for some reason. Did he get into a fight ? Thomas shifted on his chair, his own wounds still painful.  
The room he was sitting in was the simplest expression of what's needed to get the job done. There was only one table cluttered with piles of paper, and twelve chairs, arranged in semicircle around Thomas and occupied by the Keepers, Minho and Gally included.  
The tall Runner was sitting in silence, greeting Thomas with a reassuring smile. He looked as tired as Newt and most of his bruises from the Maze haven't healed yet.  
Gally looked like he owned the place, a content smirk plastered on his face.  
Two chairs directly in front of Thomas stayed empty. One Alby's, the other one Newt's, the slender boy standing between them instead. 

"Alright," Newt clasped his hands once everyone was sitted and ready. "Since our leader is sick in bed, I declare this Gathering begun. As you all know, the last days have been bloody crazy, and directly related to Thomas, present here."  
It felt weird to hear Newt call him by his formal name again, and it hurt a little.  
"He's dangerous !" hissed Gally in low voice.  
Newt threw him a cold glare.  
"I'm not in a cheerful mood, Gally. You'll speak when it's your turn."  
The brute folded his hands and leaned back in his chair, satisfied by his intervention.  
"Reason we're here," continued Newt, "is because half of the Glade wants to feed Thomas to the Grievers, while the other half woships him like some kind of hero. We need to come up with an official decision to keep some order out there. You'll have your chance everyone, one at a time."  
He finally turned to look directly at the accused.  
"And Thomas, you're not allowed to speak until asked. Understood ?"  
Thomas nodded, feeling helpless.  
He longed for any friendly sign from Newt, and it hit him how close they became, now that the blonde boy was forced to act like a stranger. 

"Zart, you go first." Told Newt quietly before looking away.  
The tall Keeper shifted uncomfortably. He looked out of his place in a formal meeting, even as strange as this one.  
"Well, I dunno, he broke our rules." Zart tried hard to put his idea into words, "We can't let people break rules just like that. But he proved we can survive out there too, and fight the Grievers. That's something."  
"Oh, give me a break," Gally rolled his eyes, "I bet Minho did all the job."  
"Shut up!" Newt warned the brute. "You keep talking when it's not your turn, I'll throw your sorry butt out of this meeting."  
Gally responded with a disdainful smile.  
"Is that all ?" Newt asked Zart, trying to stay calm. The Kepper nodded. "Alright, Frypan ?"  
The cook shrugged.  
"Shank's got more guts than I've seen in my kitchen for a year. How jacked is this ? He saved Alby's life, killed two Grievers, and we're sitting here, judging him like he's some shucking criminal ? This is nuts."  
"So what do you reccomend ?" Newt asked.  
"Put him on the freakin' Council and let him teach us all he did out there !"  
The keepers bursted in motion, shouting all at once. This time Newt had hard time calming them down.  
Frypan had gone too far, and almost ruined his well-started argument.  
"Now everyone bloody shut up ! I mean it !" shouted Newt, losing his patience. "I'll keep it in mind. Are you done ?"  
Frypan nodded resolutely.  
Next, came the turn of a Keeper Thomas had never met before, a black-haired kid with a freckly face.  
"What's your opinion ?" Asked Newt.  
"I don't have one." The Keeper shrugged matter-of-factly.  
"What ?!" Newt was on the edge of a nervous breakdown. "What the hell are you doing on the Council then ?!"  
"Sorry, I honestly don't. Frypan's right, I guess, we can't punish him for saving two lives."  
"Looks like you do have an opinion after all." Newt insisted, regaining his composure. "Winston ? Care to share your idea on the subject ?"  
"He should be punished." The Keeper of Slicers told simply. "Nothing personal, Greenie. But we can't set a bad example, you broke important rules."  
"What kind of punishment ?" Newt asked.  
"A week in the Slammer with only bread and water ? We must set an example, so the others don't get any heroic ideas. Otherwise, we'll be pulling pieces of guts out of the Maze every morning."  
Gally's sniggering earned a warning glare from Newt.  
Thomas felt frustrated to watch them decide of his fate like he wasn't there, but he was relieved that the suggested punishment didn't seem that harsh. Besides, Winston wasn't wrong about the danger. Thomas thought about the graves, and all those boys who were never found.  
Two more Keepers spoke, one supported Frypan, while the other agreed with Winston.  
The whole time, Newt stood quietly, his black eyes fixed absently on an empty spot. Thomas couldn' tell if he was really listening. 

Four other Keepers spoke, until only Gally and Minho left.  
"I think I was pretty obvious already." Gally told with a smirk. "But there's something that's bugging me. This shuckface comes up, all scared and confused, next day the girl shows up with the note, and suddenly this klunk is running in the Maze, killing Grievers like he owns the place. Anyone remember his first days, doing something else then crying like babies ? I ain't buying his act !"  
"What are you saying ?" Newt asked carefully.  
"He's a shucking spy, working for the Creators ! That's what I'm saying ! Just banish him already, see how long he plays the role !"  
The Keepers exploded again, some shouting against it, some in Gally's defense. Thomas watched the brute lean back in his chair satisfied, staring at him with his arms crossed.  
He was afraid the tall Builder would say something like that, and even more afraid that some would believe it. But most of all, Thomas was scared that Gally might be right.  
"Enough !" yelled Newt, and everyone fell quiet. Thomas never saw him so furious before, and he could swear some of the Keepers were actually afraid. "Does this place look like a bloody kindergarten to you all ? We may be young, but in this shucking hole we're the adults ! So act like it ! If you're not able to keep the order, I swear I'll rip this Council into pieces and start it from scratch ! Understood ?!"  
Everyone nodded in silence, even Gally.

It was finally Minho's turn, raising a bit of hope in Thomas.  
"I was there." the tall Asian told matter-of-factly. "He stayed strong, smart and caring while I chickened out and hid. I say he should replace me as the Keeper of Runners."  
The complete silence stunned the room, everyone froze in place and stared wide-eyed at Minho.  
Thomas felt his heart skip a beat, now he was truly screwed.  
After a while Gally stood up, trembling with rage.  
"Are you shucking kidding me ?" he hissed. "You should be kicked off the Council for saying something like that !"  
"I'm serious." Minho shrugged, unimpressed. "The Keeper must be the best representative. I failed, Thomas didn't. Simple logic."  
"Gally ? Sit down !" Warned Newt, stepping between them. Thomas could see the repressed rage boil inside him. "Minho, is this your last word ? Seems a little excessive, don't you think ?"  
Minho let out a sigh, he looked really exhausted.  
"Thing is, I'm the only Runner here." the boy explained. "And outside Newt and me, no one knows a squat about what's out there."  
"I do !" interjected Gally proudly.  
"No you don't !" Minho stood up in his turn, clearly offended. "The only reason you were stung is because you broke the same rule you're blaming Thomas for ! So why don't you try the same punishment you recommend for yourself, huh ?"  
The tension was growing, threatening to break into a fight any second.  
"Minho," hissed Newt "stay on target please."  
"All I'm saying, is that he risked his life to save two shanks he barely knew. You say he broke the rules ? He barely got the time to learn them ! I don't recall you asking to be a Runner or taking risks for anyone. But Thomas, he knew what was out there, and he still went in to help us ! I left them both for dead and ran away, while he took time to put a dying shank in safety with a Griever on his heels ! How's that for an evil spy ? I saw him fight, he barely made it ! If he was one of them, those things wouldn't try to shred him into pieces ! I'm done Newt..."  
"I'm not done !" shouted Gally.  
The brute tried to come closer to Minho, but Newt interposed himself, blocking the way.  
Thomas felt his heart skip a beat, Gally looked at the slender boy with a smirk, he was taller and stonger.  
"Yeah, I ain't buying your act either. You'll do anything for your precious Tommy."  
"Last warning, Gally." hissed Newt in deadly anger. "Come on, bugger, give me a reason..."  
"Say one more thing, kiddo," snorted Gally, "and I'll break your thin neck right in front of everyone."  
It all happened too fast, Thomas barely saw Newt move. The slender boy hit Gally in the face, sending the massive brute crashing down on empty chairs, breaking them in pieces. Before he could get up, Newt jumped forward, pressing his knee on Gally's back, holding him firm against the floor.  
"Don't ever forget your place, you bloody coward." Newt stated, leaning closer to Gally's ear. "If you ever speak to me again, I'll break your arms and legs, one by one, and leave you rot under the sun."  
Then he raised on his feet and stepped back.  
Thomas watched Gally get up, but instead of moving towards as Thomas feared, he just stepped away, half stumbling to the exit, breath ragged. His bloodshot eyes darted between Newt and Thomas, face distorted with hatred and shame. Somehow, he looked a lot like Ben.  
"You shouldn't have done that, Newt !" shouted Gally, reaching for the door. "You always hated me. You'll hate your precious Tommy even more when you'll learn why you're here ! Things will change, this I promise. I'll stop whatever this shuckface started. He's a dead man !"  
Then he left the room, slamming the door behing him. 

Everyone stood frozen in silence, shocked by what just happened, all eyes slowly turning to look at Newt. The slender boy didn't flinch a bit.  
"I'm not Alby, but until he comes back, I'm your leader. Gally was on the Council for a reason, but no one's irreplaceable. We need order, especially now. Anyone have questions ?"  
"Maybe he was right ?" asked Winston shyly.  
"What ?" Newt's black eyes focused on the Keeper of Slicers.  
Winston shifted on his feet, feeling uncomfortable under Newt's stare "Uh... not for challenging you. But you know, Gally has been through the Changing. Maybe he's right about Thomas being dangerous ?"  
"You saw him !" Frypan iterjected, incredulous. "Gally's jacked ! You can't put much faith in his nonesense ! He just tried to fight Minho and threatened to kill Newt ! We better send someone to throw him in the Slammer. He's the dangerous one. You don't seriously think Thomas is a Griever in disguise ?"  
Thomas had enough. He couldn't continue to stay just a silent whitness to this madness..  
"Can I say something ?" He asked loudly, raising his head to look directly at Newt. "I'm sick of watching you guys decide about my fate like I'm not even here."  
Newt nodded quietly. "Go on."  
"I don't know if Gally's right about me, maybe." Thomas continued, chosing carefully his words. "You know about me just as much as I do. And I know I screwed up the rules. But if I had the chance to do it again, I will, because Alby's alive. If I got it right, we're here to judge what I did in the Maze, not who I was before the Glade. I let you decide, I just want you to know that I'm one of you."  
Thomas could see Newt soften a little, black eyes filled with that sadness again.  
"Alright, let's get this bloody mess over with, we'll worry about Gally later. Does anyone else have anything to say ?"  
"I do." Frypan turned to look at Thomas. "You knew no one ever survived, so why did you go into the Maze in the first place ?"  
Thomas felt his blood turn cold. He couldn't tell the real reason, not here, not like this.  
"I saw they couldn't make it without help. I didn't think, I forgot I would get trapped too. I just thought that it was horrible to watch them die because of some stupid rule. But I got it now, I was lucky. I'm just happy to be alive."  
He felt sick at how easy he could lie.  
No more questions or comment followed, and it looked like he had everyone convinced. Including Newt, who looked somehow dissapointed.  
The slender boy stepped closer and locked his piercing eyes on him.  
"Thomas, you broke our rules and disrupted the peace. For that, you must be punished. You get one day in the Slammer, starting from tomorrow morning till next day. Also, you proved your skills in the Maze, for that I elect you as a Runner, effective immediately. You'll follow Minho's orders, and will be judged as equal to all Gladers from now on. This Gathering's over."  
Thomas stared at Newt in desbelief. He expected a real punishment, something terrible, instead he felt almost rewarded by his new status.  
The rest of the Keepers were just as surprised as him.  
Was Gally right ? Was Newt really doing anything for him ? Thinking of it, he already killed and lied for Thomas, but he would've done the same for any innocent guy who got attacked by Ben that day. And after all, he saved Alby's life. Of course Newt would feel in debt.  
Thomas nodded in silence. 

Soon enough, everyone left the room, leaving the fresh Runner with Newt and Minho.  
Thomas haven't moved from his chair, not sure what he's supposed to do next. He hoped to speak to Newt, but they weren't alone. He wasn't sure what he wanted to say anyway. The swarm of feelings and thoughts failed to form into right words. So he just sat there, feeling stupid and lost.  
"Well, that was fun." Told Newt softly, looking at Thomas with a sad smile.  
"It was about time someone stood up to Gally." Replied Minho, slumped on his chair.  
"Only made it worse." Newt shook his head. "Gally was serious about his threats. Now we have a bloody killer on the run. You got to be careful until we catch him, Tommy."  
Thomas felt a surge of joy at the sound of that name. Oh, he missed it so much.  
"I will." He replied with a grin.  
Newt turned to Minho. "And what was that klunk about naming Tommy a Keeper ?"  
"Aim high, hit low." The tall Runner shrugged. "I got what I wanted, right ?"  
A knock on the opened door made them turn to see who was there. Chuck shifted by the entrance, looking scared and alert.  
"Hey, what's wrong ?" Newt asked with a frown.  
"Alby's awake." The young boy replied shyly. "He's acting all crazy, telling he need to talk..."  
Newt rushed to the door, but Chuck stopped him.  
"No, not to you."  
"What ?" Newt looked hurt and confused.  
Chuck pointed at Thomas.  
"He keeps asking for you."


	9. Memories

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> (VERSION 2) - Sorry, the version 1 was really bothering me, so here's the final one I'm happy with ;)

Walking towards the infirmary felt like going against the tide.  
Whatever was burried in his past, Thomas was pretty sure it wasn't good. He didn't want anyone else to find out. He wasn't even sure he wanted to remember it himself.  
He feared the reason that made Alby call for him as soon as he woke up from the Changing.

Newt followed few steps behind, pale and silent like a ghost.  
Thomas had no idea what thoughts were swirling through that lovely blonde head. He wished he could find the right words to speak about everything that was going through his own mind, but nothing seemed appropriate. They had no time for that anyway.

Chuck stayed at the Council room, too scared to go back.  
Had Alby gone crazy and dangerous like Ben ? Would there be more blaming, or even worse : some dreadful truth about why everything seemed to point at Thomas in so unpleasant way ?  
Before he could think of something, they arrived in front of Alby's room. It was too soon, Thomas wasn't ready. He left his hand linger on the door, reluctant to push it.  
Newt stepped quietly next to him, sliding his graceful fingers on the rough wood, almost touching his. Thomas restrained the urge to fall into those slender arms and shelter himself against beloved heartbeat. But he wasn't allowed.  
"I'm with you, Tommy." Newt whispered encouragingly next to him and pushed.

 

The room was quiet and floodlit by the orange sun.  
Alby was lying on the camp bed, eyes shut. He looked thinner then usual, feverish and weak from the sickness, but he seemed normal, perfectly human.  
Newt stepped closer and shook gently Alby's shoulder to wake him up. Thomas held his breath, fearing an outburst of bloodthirsty rage, but Alby only blinked and opened his tired, blooshot eyes.  
"Hey." Newt greeted him softly. "Welcome back."  
Alby took few moments to understand his suroundings, before finally showing a sign of recognition as he looked at Newt.  
"What are you doing here ?" He asked in a raspy whisper.  
"Chuck said you wanted to talk to Tommy. What's wrong ? You scared everyone."  
Alby's gaze slowly shifted on Thomas and instantly got fierce and pained.  
"The girl... you... I saw it all." He said in a razor-sharp voice. "You don't belong here."  
Thomas felt his hands shake under the raising panic. He didn't want Newt to hear this.  
"How so ?" Thomas was surprised to hear his voice come out so cold and calm.  
"You know how." Alby's sharp stare took a sad and weary expression. "What have you done ? Why can't you just leave us alone ?"  
Thomas felt something else behind Alby's anger, a genuine confusion.  
"What do you mean ?" Newt asked carefully.  
Alby turned to look at his friend, and suddenly exploded in rage. "I wanted Thomas ! Alone ! Is it so freaking hard to have a private conversation ?!"  
Newt jumped back, worried and hurt by the unexplainable change of behaviour.  
"Fine !" He replied, frowning. "He's right here, talk to him. But I'm staying !"  
"Newt... Leave us, now !" warned Alby.  
"No, I need to know." Newt was pale, and Thomas could sense the desperation behind the resolute voice.  
"Get out !"  
Something in Alby's attitude made Newt falter. He hesitantly turned away and stepped to the door.  
"Alright." He replied sadly. "But don't come saying you're sorry."  
Giving Thomas one last concerned look, Newt stepped out and slammed the door behind him.

 

Thomas waited, still and silent.  
He wanted to run after Newt and throw everything else into oblivion. There was obviously nothing good for him here. But a distant voice on the back of his mind whispered that he could miss something important.  
"I've seen it all." Repeated Alby, calm and weary again. "Where we came from, who you are, who the girl is. I remember the Flare."  
Thomas inhaled a shaky breath. "I'm listening."  
"Newt can't hear it. It would kill him. Promise me you won't tell."  
"I promise, for what it's worth to you."  
But Alby seemed satisfied.  
"The Maze, the Grievers, it's all your fault." Alby's gaze drifted into an empty spot. He looked really tired, dark circles under his eyes making them look sunken. "I wish you let us forget everything once and for all. I never wanted to remember..."  
"Forget what ?" Thomas shifted in frustration. He started to think that maybe Alby was gone mad after all, just not in the same way that Ben did. "Alby, you're not making any sense."  
"There's nothing left outside." The older boy answered absently. "We can't leave the Maze because there's nowhere to leave to. There's no more Earth, no more people, only ashes and sand. The Flare killed everyone and the sun took care of the rest. The outside world is dead. Burned. It's over. The Glade is all we have left."  
Thomas tried to understand what he just heard, but the information seemed so huge, so unreal, it refused to settle into his mind.  
"What's the Flare ?" His own voice sounded distant to Thomas. It scared him how stern and emotionless it was, collecting needed information on instinct.  
"It's what made Ben go insane. A freaking virus that eats away all that's left of human in us. You really don't remember anything at all ?" Alby's voice turned into whisper, eyelids falling heavily as he struggled to stay awake.  
"How is it my fault ?"  
"Have you ever wondered who built this place, Thomas ? Who designed every trap and riddle that keep us in ?"  
Thomas felt dizzy, trapped in someone else's past. This wasn't happening, it cound't be true.  
"What I can't understand," Continued Alby quietly, as if he was talking to himself, "is why you're here... why can't you remember..."  
"And the girl, who is she ?"  
"Like you..." Alby closed his eyes, barely conscious.  
Thomas couldn't tell how long he stood there in silence.  
His worst fears just formed into words and hit him in the guts. He wished he could deny everything. But deep down, he already knew the truth.  
Not getting any response or question to keep him awake, Alby slowly drifted asleep.  
Thomas forced his stiffened limbs into the motion and reached the door.  
"Be careful with that girl." He heard Alby mutter from the bed with one last effort. "Unlike you, I can’t see any reason for her to be here at all."  
Thomas stepped outside and closed carefully behind him.

 

Newt waited, leaning against the wall just in front of the door.  
Thomas couldn't see his face at first, hid behind the tangled strands of blonde hair.  
"Newt ? Are you alright ?" he asked carefully. He was relieved to hear his own voice back to a worried human one.  
After a small while, Newt finally raised his head to look at Thomas with reddish eyes.  
"We need to talk." He said in almost a whisper.  
He reached for Thomas' wrist and pulled him away to an empty room, further from anyone else's ears. Thomas remembered the first time Newt held his arm like this, leading the way to the wall. How everything was mystery and desire that day, so far from the cold fear he felt now.

Once inside, Newt closed quietly the door behind them.  
"You heard us..." Thomas' heart froze in fear at the realisation.  
"Enough !" Newt cut him sharply, locking his black eyes with Thomas. "I know it, alright ?! I figured out you're a Creator a while ago."  
Thomas felt numb at the statement, but Newt's features softened.  
"I don't bloody care." He told, calming down. "Important thing is that we all have each other, because we're all in this together. You're one of us now, Tommy. What you used to be in the past doesn't matter anymore, it's dead with your memories."  
Thomas blinked, holding back tears that burned the rim of his eyelids.  
"How can you still trust me ?"  
Newt shrugged and looked down. "I don't, not really. But I want to, and I hope I can." He paused before continuing carefully. "Do you recall what I told you in the woods, after Ben attacked you ?"  
"That you knew I wasn't an enemy ?"  
"That's right." Newt nodded. "I don't remember anything at all from before, but when I saw you come out of the damn Box, it was like meeting an old friend again. I never felt like that about anyone. I'm pretty sure those were traces of my memory, which means I trusted you before. Am I wrong to do that, Tommy ?"  
"I will never hurt you." Thomas replied softly. "Not on purpose. But I feel like I already did something horrible to everyone here."  
"We don't know that. So stop punishing yourself without a proof, alright ?" Before Thomas could protest, Newt changed the subject. "Here's the plan. Tomorrow you get your day in the Slammer. After that, you're Minho's. Meanwhile, you spend the rest of the day with me. I want you to stay away from the others for a while. Got it ?"  
Thomas blinked in confusion. Spending the rest of the day with Newt was more then anything he could hope for, even given the circumstances.  
"And we must find Gally and throw him in jail. That shuckface threatened to kill you and we have to make bloody sure it never happens. He's gonna pay a heavy price for acting like that. But first, I need you to do something. Apparently, things are going to change. In this place, it means people are going to die. You're one of those who built it, Tommy. I need you to tell me what we're up against."  
"I don't remember..." Started Thomas, but Newt didn't let him finish.  
"I know you don't remember anything, stop saying that ! None of us does, and we're bloody sick of you reminding us about it. The point is, you probably knew more about how this place works, than any of us ever will. You have to figure it out."  
"Alright, but how do I do that ?"  
"I need you to open your mind. Be honest with me if anything ring a bell. Anything at all, you can never know what can be a clue."  
Thomas tried to recall all the blurred memories that sometimes bursted into his mind.  
"So much happened since I got here." He spoke slowly, carefully forming his thoughts into words. "I almost forgot how familiar the Glade felt to me when I got here. I was a little confused at first, but not afraid like the rest of you. And I knew I wanted to be a Runner."  
"It's a start." Newt nodded encouragingly. "Anything else ?"  
Thomas thought about the dream of the white light, but he wasn't sure he should speak about that one. Not yet.  
"No, sorry." Thomas lied again.  
"Well, keep looking for it." Newt replied softly. "Spend your free time wandering your mind, and think about anything that looks familiar. Try to remember, for all our sakes. Can you do this for me ?"  
"I will..." Thomas whispered, ...I'll do anything for you, he thought.  
He closed his eyes, wondering how long did they had before everything goes to hell again.  
"Well," Newt said, clasping his hands, "let's go see the girl. You may not remember her, but she obviously remember you. I want you to look at her till your eyes bleed, see if something gets triggered in that jacked brain of yours."

 

Thomas followed Newt to the room where the girl was still in a coma.  
He was surprised to see her sleeping peacefully. He expected her to be dying, or at least sick and grayish like Ben and Alby. But certainly not so healthy and radiant.  
A Med-jack who's name Thomas couldn't remember, was dripping water into her mouth, a few drops at a time. They were taking a really good care of her, doing everything possible to keep her alive.  
"Hey, Clint." Newt took without thinking a small notepad from the bedside table. He visited her many times before, realised Thomas. "How's she today ?"  
"Still talking in her sleep." The short boy replied, focused on his task. "She'll wake up soon, my guess."  
For some reason, the possibility that she might wake up scared Thomas.  
Newt flipped a page of the notepad. "Have you been writing down every word she says ?"  
"Just like you asked." Clint nodded. "Most of it doesn't make any sense. But yeah, when we can. She's always going on about everything changing and, uh..." Clint looked at Thomas as if he didn't want to continue in his company.  
"It's okay, he can hear whatever I hear," Newt assured casually.  
"Well, she keeps saying his name, over and over."  
Newt winced a little and looked at the girl with concerned frown.  
"Thanks, Clint." He told in an obvious dismissal. "Get us a report, okay ?"  
"Will do." The boy nodded and left the room.

"Sit down." Newt pointed at Clint's chair.  
Thomas took place by the girl's head and carefully leaned closer. He watched her features, trying to break down the memory block. She looked familiar, and yet he couldn't remember why.  
Now that she was healthy again, she was really beautiful. Perfect milky-white skin and pitch-black hair with reddish pink on her curvy lips. Thomas tried to remember the color of her eyes behind those long eyelashes and knew they were icy-blue, rich in color.  
She had a cold and sharp beauty, completely on the opposite of Newt's sunny and soft one.  
"Remember anything ?" Newt asked gently, leaning closer at the other side of the camp bed.  
"I do know her." Whispered Thomas after a while.  
Something familiar fluttered in a corner of his mind, a feeling of adamant will and dark secrets, a scent of danger and pain. Thomas felt all his senses focus on her.  
"Who is she ?" Newt guided him carefully, cautious not to break the moment.  
"I can't grasp it... but there's something, I can feel it. I know her." Thomas almost whined in frustration.  
"Don't lose it. Concentrate." Newt's whisper reverberated in Thomas's mind while he watched the girl, sinking deeper into the trance.  
Who was she ? Thomas gave a strained smile at the irony of the question, he didn't even knew who he was.  
"Teresa..." he finally whispered, too focused to realise he had broken a barrier "Her name is Teresa."

The feeling of something dark and painful got stronger as Thomas reached the edge of his lost memory. He suddenly got scared. His mind struggled as he pushed further, he didn't want to go there. He would turn away and run if he could, but Newt needed him to remember.  
It felt like that horrific evening at the Maze doors all over again. Thomas ignored his fear and rushed into a death trap for Newt's sake once more. 

His entire body was shaking in shock as he reached for the glowing screen. He was in a large room filled with blue monitors of different sizes.  
He felt the glassy surface of the screen break under his fist and sharp shreds dig into his skin. The blood from his hands mixed with the blood from the image he could still see, even with his eyes closed.  
He felt so empty and helpless. He just watched someone die. He couldn't remember who. His mind refused to bring back the memory, shutting down under the overwhelming pain of loss.

Thomas opened his eyes on a blurry world.  
His heartbeat hammered in his skull like crazy. He found himself on the floor, not sure of how or when he fell from the chair.  
Newt was leaning over him, eyes wide in panic.  
"Tommy ?! You alright ?! Tommy !"  
Thomas nodded as his vision adjusted.  
"What happened ?" asked Newt, carefully helping him to get up.  
"I... I don't know... I saw something... I'm scared." Thomas muttered in confusion. "I don't want to remember it. Please, don't make me remember it."  
"Tommy, calm down. What are you bloody talking about ?"  
"There's something in my memory. I never felt so much pain..."  
Tears rolled down his face. Thomas raised a shaking hand to wipe them out, but froze when he noticed several thin scars crossing his knuckles. Old cuts only barely noticeable. A confirmation that what he just saw wasn't a nightmare, but a real memory from his past.  
Newt let out a sad sigh and gently brushed Thomas's tears away with his own fingertips, before reaching for his trembling hand and pressing it in his own.  
"It's alright, Tommy." Newt whispered to calm him down. "You had enough for today. Let's get something to eat, alright ?"

 

They took their meal in silence.  
Thomas was slowly recovering from his vision. It's been only few days since he entered the Glade, but it felt already like a lifetime. He was so tired.  
He caught few stares from the Gladers who walked by. Few filled with hate, most of them with admiration, but almost none indifferent. Something told him that wasn't going to change any time soon.  
"So, in two days I'll be back into the Maze ?" Started Thomas out of the blue in a helpless attempt to distract himself from the pain and sorrow he could still sense.  
"That's right, you're a Runner now." Newt replied softly. "Minho will teach you everything. The Maze, the Maps, all the tricks. It's a lot to learn, I expect you to work hard."  
Strangely, the idea of returning into the Maze didn't scare Thomas at all. He was almost relieved to set his mind on an everyday task. It was insane, given his first experience.  
Maybe he was crazy after all ? Could all that stress made him go mad, just like Ben, forcing him to think upside down and mix up his priorities ?  
His thoughts were interrupted by Chuck, who came running to them. The young boy stopped in front of Newt, struggling to catch his breath.  
"Sorry, we couldn't find him." He panted. "The shuckface ran and hid somewhere. Someone said they saw Gally run out into the Maze after he left the Gathering. He hasn't been seen ever since."  
"Thanks, Chuck." Newt frowned, taking a moment to consider the information. Then he stood up and gave Thomas a resolute look. "We're not taking any risks. Tommy, tonight you're sleeping in my room."  
Thomas almost choke on his drink.

 

Thomas knew he was clumsy and blushing like an idiot when they reached the small room at the side of the Homestead.  
At least, it almost made him forget the waking nightmare from earlier.  
He found himself shuffling awkwardly by the door, scanning the place he was so jealous about.  
It was small, but cosy. Thomas was glad to notice that there were two camp beds at the opposite walls, instead of one large as he imagined. He felt stupid at the idea.  
The rest of the furniture consisted in few wooden crates, turned to the side and piled up to create shelves, and a low table that separated the two beds that were used as benches at daytime.  
Newt turned at him in confusion. "What's wrong ? Come in !"  
"Wouldn't Alby get mad if he knew I sleep here ?" Thomas asked shyly. "He didn't look so fond of me lately."  
"No, and it's not his call anyway. It's my room too." Newt unfastened his sword case and put it on the table. "Alby was unsettled by what he saw, but he doesn't hate you. If you get to know him better, you'll see that he's a really nice guy. If he hated you, believe me, you'd know."  
But something in Newt's voice sounded off.  
"Aren't you afraid he could be different, now that he got through the Changing ?" Thomas asked, carefully stepping inside.  
"Not really." Newt replied after a while. "People may change, but their core-self always stays the same. I know Alby better then anyone else here, and I trust him with my life. He's my best friend and the closest thing I have to a family. He saved my life and kept me from going insane. That will always count."  
"Is it why you live together ?"  
"Yeah. At first Alby moved me here so he can keep an eye on me while I recover from my leg injury. But then, we just got used to live like this and he asked me to stay. It reassured him to have company whenever he woke from his nightmares. I must say it was the same for me."  
Thomas nodded quietly, he knew the feeling.  
Newt's black eyes shined like mirrors in the declining light of the reddish sun. Thomas lost himself in the hypnotising sight. That halo around Newt made him look almost glowing, every line and shade of color so perfect.  
More he watched the boy, and more Thomas was attracted, like a moth to a flame. He was afraid to get burned to ashes, but couldn't stop.  
"Tommy ?" Newt's voice made him realize he was staring for too long.  
Just as the first time when he came out of the Box, an amused smile played on Newt's lips, only this time it was soft and friendly too.  
"If you're afraid to upset Alby, take my bed instead. He wouldn't mind if it's me who's stealing his."  
This time, Thomas was sure he was red from tip to toe, and thanked the crimson sunlight for hiding it.

As they settled for the night in the glimmer of the moon, Thomas wrapped himself in the soft embrace of Newt's bed. The familiar scent was all around him, and Thomas took a moment to imagine that he was in Newt's arms. The thought sent a burning wave of desire through him, and he felt a little guilty to fantasize about the oblivious boy lying only few steps away.  
"Can I ask you something ?" Newt's whisper made Thomas startle and blush.  
"Uh... yeah ?"  
"Do you remember me ?"  
Thomas looked in his direction, barely discerning Newt's form in the dim silver light. He wasn't sure what to respond.  
"If you remember her," continued Newt hesitantly, "then maybe you can remember me ?"  
"Why are you asking ?" Thomas felt his heart race in blind hope.  
"I need answers." Newt replied simply. "I hate to rely on a feeling I can't explain. If I'm going to let you pull us into something dangerous, I want to know why I trust you."  
Thomas let out a sad sigh, of course Newt's question had nothing to do with what he hoped for.  
"If you don't know if you can trust me, how can you trust what I tell about my memories ?" Thomas asked after a while. "Maybe you should try to remember me."  
"No." Newt's response was adamant and cut through Thomas' heart like a razor. "I don't want to remember anything. I don't know if I can keep going on, knowing that all the people and things I used to love are lost forever. My old life is gone. Better keep it this way."  
Thomas let out a resigned sigh.  
"I remember you."  
"What ?"  
"I remember you." Thomas repeated softly, "You were younger then, and your hair were short. I'm not sure how or where we met. I'm not even sure we talked at all. I only remember when they took you away, you were asleep, or maybe drugged, on a medical bed. I tried to stop them, but I couldn't even get to you."  
Thomas waited, listening to Newt's ragged breath.  
"Them ?" He finaly asked from the surrounding darkness.  
"Other Creators, I suppose." Thomas replied carefully.  
"You tried to protect me from your own ?"  
Thomas shut his eyes and finally admit it : "I couldn't lose you forever."

The fear of Newt's posible reaction made his head spin as he waited for whatever was coming next.


End file.
